How to spot damp/mould problems before buying??

[pheasey2025]

Am looking to buy for the first time in the new year.

Of the long list of potential stresses, a big one for me is mould/damp, as I am highly sensitive to both. I understand that there are several methods that can pretty much fix this (insertion of damp proof course, repointing, fixing pipes, dehumidifiers etc. etc.) however all of this would add up in terms of time and cost (also, not sure how this would work in a terrace house without involving neighbours??).

Seriously if the problem couldn't be fixed (and I mean SOLVED, not 'managed') I would just sell up and take the loss.

Obviously I want to avoid this.

I understand that it's standard practice to get a survey done prior to buying, however I'm paranoid now as a friend did this but the survey missed the damp issue in his house and she's had to sell it for a loss.

Any advice on this would be helpful.

Old houses are often prone to damp so maybe get a newer property. And be prepared to actually heat your home and air it thoroughly.

Smell! I’m also sensitive to mold and can smell it a mile off. Look around window seals when viewing, wall corners, check bathrooms etc but that smell cannot be disguised.

But a new build or newish home.

if an older property then it’s solveable but not chemically. Ventilation and the correct plaster, paint, render etc

id be surprised if you didn’t see or smell an issue when viewing.

I've got to agree with 'heat and newish property'. Make yourself aware of how and why mould develops. Water condensation on cold areas of walls and windows cause problems, but also problems with building issues too. A survey 'should' pick up some of the latter. But modern well built properties are more made for centrally heated 'sealed' house living.

We’ve got an older property that is a bit of a problem for this and we have to keep on top of moisture levels with a dehumidifier. I think the tell tale signs will be around the window. we get a lot of condensation and I’m constantly mopping up water in the morning. That is the main area we’ve got to keep an eye on.

People will do a paint job so you will probably never know re walls. One of the things we’ve been advised to do is get thermal paint to help some of the colder spots in the house. We’ve also got some issues with damp proof course that are more structural but didn’t come up on our survey.

thanks for these helpful replies.

it's annoying as it's not always immediately obvious.

For instance I recently stayed in an Airbnb - when I arrived it was freezing but seemed ok at first, but after several hours I started getting the tell-tale signs of mould/damp exposure - runny nose, itchy eyes, that heavy feeling in my lungs. Just gross. In the end I just left and booked elsewhere.

Not sure how I'd pick up less obvious cases like this.

Might see if I can buy a mould detector off Amazon.

I live in a newish build (10 years old), I don't have a problem with damp as such, but I do get, at this time of the year, a lot of condensation on the windows despite having the trickle vents open an continuous low speed extract fans in the kitchen and bathrooms. It does need to be mopped up daily or the black mould appears. Older houses (in general) weren't damp when they were built, so if they now are something has happened. There are many threads here about using lime mortar and plaster, defective gutters and down pipes, raised external ground levels bridging damp courses or blocking air bricks. The general advice is to NEVER go to a company selling damp solutions.

honestly, i’m the same, i can smell damp the second i walk into a room. definitely look for fresh "patch" painting on ceilings or a strong smell of air freshener which can hide a lot. check inside built-in wardrobes and behind beds too, as that’s where the spores usually hide.
if you find a place you love but are worried about the air quality, i’d suggest getting an idustmite humidity monitor kit to take with you on a second viewing. it gives you a proper reading of the moisture levels so you aren't just guessing. it’s a bit of a lifesaver for peace of mind before you sign anything. good luck with the search

Freshly painted walls especially outer walls.

Look behind furniture.

Go early on in the morning and look for condensation on the windows.

Take a humidity meter with you and use it to see what the humidity of the place is like.

Use a thermal imager on walls to seek out cold spots.

Make sure it has plenty of extraction fans, ie in every bathroom and kitchen.

The thing is some houses are damp due to external issues, some are damp due to living humidity. Living humidity is generally easier to deal with, just reduce the amount of water vapour entering the atmosphere and improve the extraction/dehumidification. External issues are harder to resolve and will normally require repair/building work.