There is a strong damp smell coming up from the concrete floor in the flat I rent. When you pull out the drawers on the dressing table, all the clothes smell damp and the same with the bedding. There is mould around the bottom of the dressing table plus a footstool I have in there. The clothes in the wardrobe were all covered in mould so I had to dispose of them and now have damp rid in there and keep the doors slightly open and the problem is greatly reduced. My kitchen cupboards also have that same smell and is on the same side of the flat as the back bedroom. I don't have this problem anywhere else in the house and have only had it since the earthquakes. I have told HNZ and nobody seems to want to know so can anyone suggest anything I could try myself to get rid of the smell. Many thanks in advance.
regy_2005,
Apr 2, 12:09am
You need a dehumidifier
ricford1,
Apr 2, 12:55am
Thank you for your reply . will look into getting one.
koru67,
Apr 2, 6:57am
I agree with Regy, damp rid will only remove a small amount of the moisture. I was working in retail in a hardware store when damp rid was first released about 30 years ago and everyone thought it was the best thing ever. We were happy to get a few cm's of liquid in the container over a few weeks. You would get litres in a day if you used a dehumidifier, especially at the beginning when drying the area out. Even if you can borrow someone's dehumidifier to try it out you will be amazed how moisture they collect and the house will be so much healthier for you to live in. Good luck.
lythande1,
Apr 2, 7:25am
She doesn't need a dehumidifier, which is fixing the symptom, she needs the problem cured, where the damp is coming from, but with rentals, the chances are low that a landlord will care.
trade4us2,
Apr 2, 1:26pm
I bought a concrete sealer from http://www.cemix.co.nz which I painted on concrete to stop moisture coming through. It was like a rubberised cement. I can't seem to find the exact product on their website.
ricford1,
Apr 2, 1:26pm
It appears to be coming up through the carpet.
maclad,
Apr 2, 1:51pm
I think it is the responsibility of your landlord. I thought there were regulations regarding this sort of problem, particularly if you have children. Mould can cause nasty respiratory illnesses
woody89,
Apr 2, 2:25pm
Write, outlining concerns to your property manager. These are serious concerns that need addressing. If no action, go over their head, involve local MP if necessary. HNZ can't ignore issues, regardless of cause, any more than a private landlord. You need to document any & all dialogue around this.
maclad,
Apr 2, 2:46pm
All good advice you should follow. You have to help yourself, be a little aggressive if needed because no one will do it for you. If you toss in your tenancy then the next tenant will have the same issues and that is not good enough. Needs fixing.
iluvmuse,
Apr 2, 3:26pm
Does the wet side of your flat border the outside or an adjoining flat?
ricford1,
Apr 2, 4:15pm
The outside.
ricford1,
Apr 2, 4:18pm
Thanks so much for all your advice. Will ring and speak to someone tomorrow and yes I will be more assertive.
maclad,
Apr 2, 4:34pm
Guessing this may be constructed of hollow stone blocks?
But it would be worth checking too for a broken pipe in a wall, a slow leak. This occured to us, and the l/l was able to claim on their insurance as the particular room hadn't been used for several months, and the insurance covered it (AMI). We were also with the same company, and able to claim for bedding, furniture, etc.
What had happened, in our case, is that a pipe under the tub (one of the modern all-in-one jobs) had failed at a joint, and the floor slope took the moisture into the adjoining room, with nothing showing in the laundry.
But it's important to discuss the situation immediately with your landlord - it's their property at risk, as well as your own health. You may also be asked to prove that you regularly open doors/windows to air the rooms - important, even in the colder months, to have air flow (and warmth) to minimise the risk of mould growth.
melford,
Apr 2, 11:11pm
Daughters house had this problem. Solution was to lay polythene under the house which then made the house much warmer and no more mould problem anywhere. Previously mould would appear inside the wardrobes and behind the beds. Mould is dangerous to your health as others have mentioned
trade4us2,
Apr 3, 7:38am
If the concrete floor is laid down already, it's too late to put polythene under it. I have solved dampness in two concrete floors mainly by painting a sealer on top, but also by digging a drain around the outside of the house and putting slotted Novaflo in it with scoria on top.
amasser,
Apr 4, 3:31pm
C.A.B. might be able to advise if this warrants a '14 Days Notice' (to abate).
sossie1,
Nov 29, 6:17pm
Underfloor insulation. We had terrible condensation before this was fixed
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