# Problem with damp



## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

Good morning

Just a quick post as I live in Relleu Alicante and the property I own even though it is reasonably new and well built, always feels damp.

Is there a remedy apart from the obvious airing as I am sure it had no damp proofing when it was built. In the UK there are companies that inject a damp course but was hoping for a cheaper idea.
All my clothes feel damp and it cannot be good for you.

many thanks for any advice


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Believe it or not it is actually illegal in some regions to have a damp proof course. The reasoning behind this remains a complete mystery. There are specialist paints which can be applied to the walls to prevent penetrating damp but rising damp, if that is what you have, is normally seen by our Spanish friends as quite normal and just wait for the summer and it will all dry out! You can buy dehumidifiers from Eroski, Mercadona and hardware stores and they are quite cheap so might be a good place to start. You can also buy electric dehumidifiers but these can be expensive to buy and operate but they are very efficient.


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Our friends use tube heaters in their wardrobes which keep the clothes dry during the colder months.


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

Hi
Thanks for that information
Think it is probably the best thing and I will look in to getting one


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

Hi 
I will look in to that too, that is something new to me


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

A man suggested to me about putting a lot of air bricks around the bottom of the house as it is built up and the air could circulate underneath the property to help it dry out


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

tasty12 said:


> A man suggested to me about putting a lot of air bricks around the bottom of the house as it is built up and the air could circulate underneath the property to help it dry out


That would certainly help and many houses we know have such bricks built in.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

And don't use portable gas heaters, they throw a lot of water into the air.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

bob_bob said:


> And don't use portable gas heaters, they throw a lot of water into the air.


Well, you could use a portable gas heater but then you'd have to buy more dehumidifiers!!!


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

I do have a portable gas heater because electric options are very expensive and an open fire which i did have gave off too much smoke and was fed up of the house smelling of fire
But I will look for alternatives as i was aware they create moisture.


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

lol you can't win


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

thrax said:


> Believe it or not it is actually illegal in some regions to have a damp proof course. The reasoning behind this remains a complete mystery. There are specialist paints which can be applied to the walls to prevent penetrating damp but rising damp, if that is what you have, is normally seen by our Spanish friends as quite normal and just wait for the summer and it will all dry out! You can buy dehumidifiers from Eroski, Mercadona and hardware stores and they are quite cheap so might be a good place to start. You can also buy electric dehumidifiers but these can be expensive to buy and operate but they are very efficient.


The reason, or so I was told by my architect, is that it's because we're in an earthquake zone. A damp proof course, apparently, makes the building more unstable.

Injecting the walls simply won't work in Spain because the bricks tend not to be solid.

The only real solution is ventilation, heat and dehumidifiers.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

If your log fire is putting smoke into the room it means that the chimney isn't creating enough 'draw'. This might be because the height of the chimney outside the house is not above the roof line or it needs cleaning or you aren't getting the chimney hot enough to cause the air to rise. A local chimney sweep will put you right!!


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

yes you can't win lol


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## tasty12 (Jan 16, 2016)

oh really thanks for that as I was thinking of injecting the walls, I won't now
Thanks for advice


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Get your chimney cleaned and fit a wood burning stove, little or no smell. If you get one make sure its a multifuel that can burn wood/coal/smokless fuel/compressed wood logs.


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## PNE Matt (Feb 28, 2016)

The room filling with smoke can be down to a number of reasons:
The flue is blocked -get it swept
The wood is unseasoned(wet)-invest in a moisture meter
The flue doesn't terminate at the right height-seek the advice of a professional expert(HETAS in the UK)
Downdraught-you could fit an anti down draught cowl
Or simply if it is a traditional open fire then a lack of air being drawn from outside to help with the combustion process-fit an air brick or bricks into the wall to create further draw
Hope this helps


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## PNE Matt (Feb 28, 2016)

bob_bob said:


> Get your chimney cleaned and fit a wood burning stove, little or no smell. If you get one make sure its a multifuel that can burn wood/coal/smokeless fuel/compressed wood logs.


I sell wood burners and fit wood burners and sell fuels in the UK but I am looking at relocating my business in the next 12-18 months to Andalucia. Are you able to buy smokeless coal in Spain? 
What are the Regs for fitting wood burners? I am Hetas registered in the UK is there anything similar in Spain?
Matt


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I have never seen coal for sale here ever. I am told it is unavailable.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

PNE Matt said:


> I sell wood burners and fit wood burners and sell fuels in the UK but I am looking at relocating my business in the next 12-18 months to Andalucia. Are you able to buy smokeless coal in Spain?
> What are the Regs for fitting wood burners? I am Hetas registered in the UK is there anything similar in Spain?
> Matt


Stoves Spain - buy wood burning stoves - expat Spanish woodburning stoves

Not sure Matt, I'm UK based, retired and flit in and flit out of Spain as the fancy takes.

I'm sure you know Matt but for newbies to stoves

Try and source hard wood, it burns hotter and longer than soft wood.

Try and stear clear of soft woods like pine.

You should have next winters wood cut and drying now. 

I have woodland and back in November cut six cords of wood for next winter
http://www.firewoodnz.co.nz/media/1055/cord_of_firewood_dimensions.jpg


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

thrax said:


> If your log fire is putting smoke into the room it means that the chimney isn't creating enough 'draw'. This might be because the height of the chimney outside the house is not above the roof line or it needs cleaning or you aren't getting the chimney hot enough to cause the air to rise. A local chimney sweep will put you right!!


Or you can get a closed unit fitted which makes heating more efficient and there is no smell. We have a Norwegian make like this
Chimeneas de leña | Jøtul


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

I had some in my room, it destroyed some of my clothes, especially the leather bits, i.e boots, jackets, etc. the towels smelt really bad of damp and the bed felt like it was wet every night. WE bought a small humidifier in Leroy Merlin, for 129 euros. From day one, the problem disappeared, the towels never smelt again, bed doesn't feel wet and clothes are all fine. I only have to empty the container once a day when I go to sleep, so it wall works fine, it does not consume a lot of electricity as my bills are usually around the same these last 3 months since I bought the machine. The rest of the house is fine, it seems only to be in my room the funny thing is that we don't see any humidity or damp in any walls at all. Odd?


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## sansylivin (Sep 16, 2013)

Also had the same problem (living ´up North is wet!). Bought a EcoAir dessicant humidifier for house- very quiet comes with deioniser cheaper on Amazon.es than UK (even though made in UK) and Ebac refridgerant (on Amazon.co.uk) for basement- noisier but a beast that sucks litres of water out of the air. Expensive (about 200 each) but well worth the money saved in ruined clothes and books not to mention getting rid of mold and associated health risks. Also very cheap to run and in winter is perfect for drying clothes without rusting radiators or eating electricity like a tumble dryer. Here is link to great website I used:

Dehumidifier Reviews - Compare UK's Best Dehumidifiers


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