Solutions for damp rooms

[junebugs2024]

Hit me with all of your suggestions for dampness issues.

Rooms affected were not well ventilated. We want to decorate but would like to try resolve the issues thoroughly first so looking for recommendations on:

Best paint/solutions to use
Best way to clean black damp spots (without spreading the black stains around!)
Remove smells from carpet

I have a good quality dehumidifier that I can put in there but would love to completely kill the smell and salvage the carpet if possible

Going forward windows will be opened more frequently (house was inhabited for a whole) - but looking for recommendations on proactive measures going forward (products people have used etc.)

TIA lovely mumsnetters!

You might need to check the plaster is ok if there are damp problems.

Also need to work out where the damp is coming from - is there a leaky pipe nearby or a crack in a window or a roof leak or a problem with the damp course before you start or is steam blowing in from the kitchen etc

If mold in the carpet I would
Pull it out

HG Mould Spray was a game changer for me. Over lockdown, my teen never ventilated her bedroom, festering in there, and mould grew up her wall behind the wardrobe. This spray stopped the spread in its tracks and it never came back (she started opening her window, too).

I don't think mould in carpet is going to be salvageable, though, sorry.

A heat exchanger system is probably your best bet moving forward. I think they come in a couple of thousand. Otherwise always leave your window vents open, use the cooker hood, leave a window open after showering, and cut down on the length of showers, stop drying washing indoors, always put the fan on.

Fit a nuaire drimaster. Not cheap but you can read the reviews on Amazon.

Sorry I should have said;

We know of a radiator that was leaking (now resolved) and an issue with a gutter which went unnoticed for quite a while (6 ish years, it wasn't fitted correctly during a renovation) which we know caused issues with one of the walls (also now resolved)

We had a leak detector guy come out and used sound and infrared devices and confirmed no other leaks.

So the known issues are resolved - we now just want to fix and sort the damage as well as we possibly can.

This looks great, and a good proactive solution.

Thank you!

To those who mentioned carpet; no actual mold on carpet. Just a damp smell.

Re the damp in general; it's those black patches in the corners on the ceiling. No damp in wardrobes either.

And a general damp 'humming' feeling in the air.

TY!

Did you just spray on and leave it?

As whenever I attempt to clean damp I seem to just spread it around!

There will be spores in the carpet though - it's inevitable

Curtains too probably need to go unless you can boil wash them

Steam cleaning worth a go, anything less than 100 degrees may not kill off spoors.

Agree!

Pull up and replace carpet and any curtains. Check the plaster is dry, then repaint. We used Zinsser BIN primer and stain blocker when we had the similar issues.

Check the guttering and if it looks sound, check it closely when it's raining heavily or hose the roof so you can check. A lot of damp problems are caused by a leaky gutter joint.

There is no point in doing anything at all until you have established if the soil is against the house, you have cracked render or whatever is causing the ingress.

Get a professional in if need be.

I second HG Mould Spray, and also recommend Astonish Mould Blaster. I followed up with a good wash of soapy water and cleaned up any streaks with magic sponges. Then I resprayed with mould spray. I think we primed with Zinsser cover stain (spray, stinks, use a mask).

I'd replace the carpet to be honest because you can't get out mould/smell from the underly. But if you do want to try to salvage it, I'd recommend renting a carpet cleaner but only if you can fully air the house while you're at it! We used the brand Rug Doctor and it has it's own-brand cleaner that you can buy when you rent the machine.

Thank you all