I moved into a brand new house in April this year. We have experienced high moisture levels within the property as advised by the builders. This has manifested itself in some items like dining chairs growing mould on them. The builders have informed us that this is due to the house drying out.

In May I purchased a pair of single divan beds for my children. They went from a bunk bed in our old house to separate rooms here, so required beds. I found a good deal on the internet via a company called 'Land of beds' who supplied me with a pair of Sleepezee Divans. These were delivered and my children were sleeping on them for several weeks.

However, a few weeks later we noticed lines of damp parallel to the beds on the walls next to the beds.




We immediately informed the builders who came to check. They bought a moisture meter with them. On checking the walls, the damp area was saturated, but the areas above and below were within normal levels. They then tested the beds themselves and these came back with a very high reading. They kindly supplied me with a report of findings which I sent back to Land of beds.

Land of beds contacted Sleepezee, who in turn employed a company called FIRA http://www.fira.co.uk/ who came to test the beds.
He tested the walls, ceilings and floors of the bedrooms and these showed a moisture level of up to 12%. The best returned readings of between 40% and 70%.His report was based on the beds only and made no mention of the walls at all.

Sleepezee have offered to replace the beds and this will be done in September. However, I am worried about the damage to the walls as this is not drying out even thought the beds have been moved away. My children are also sleeping in these wet beds daily. Could this be harmful?

I bought the beds from Land of beds who have refused to compensate for damage to walls or for any problems to my children. Where do i stand? What can i ask for or what am i entitled to?

I would try leaving a dehumidifier in the room for a few days. Maybe put the children in the same room for a week and run the dehumidifier without going in the room. Then switch rooms. That should dry it all out.

My assumption would be that the beds have drawn the moisture out of the walls, and therefore you have an excellent result.

What are you doing about drying the house out though? I suspect that doors and windows are shut most off the time, so the moisture cannot escape.

This would be my guess too. If the beds had been that damp (on delivery), I would expect the damp to be felt when unpacking/making the beds for the first time - so all in all, a good result.

Also, the body can lose up to two pints of water a night so, leave the beds unmade until the evening, thus allowing them to air.

Could easily be so but, as said, is a guess. Not easy to say without inspection of room.
Also, as to orientation of said room/floor/layout. Could the wall be wicking from the floor, etc. Is the room in shade for most/all of the day?

Mind, as already said, with 70% would have thought dampness would be detected when unpacking.

Sorry - unsure on the beds, but in a 'new build' there should not be that much drying out needed!?

What is the form of construction of the house? twin leaf masonry? timber frame? other? A dwelling built to current regs should not have a damp or moisture problem and certainly should not still be "drying out" four months post occupation.

I'd suspect there is something wrong the building in those particular rooms, missing DPC/DPM, leaking roof, leaking cladding, leaking pipe work. Are rooms upper floor or ground and do they share any walls? is only one wall "damp" in both cases? is it the same wall or separate.

I just can't see a "wet bed" wicking to a wall as the bed should be warmer than the wall. The other way I round as mentioned by others seems possible but even then a bit unusual and 70% moisture on damp meter should result in mattress feeling cold/wet/damp.

All sounds reasonable and logical. So next question is the structure, or your lifestyle. Are the rooms properly ventilated? Is the damp at the same % at top and bottom of wall? Any guttering / downpipes leaking on the outside elevation? Any signs of water ingress in the roof void? What's the roof detail like at the eaves?

This certainly peculiar!

I assume the moisture readings were taken with a hand held damp meter? Bear in mind that these are calibrated for unpainted timber and cannot tell you the true moisture content of a mattress. As you've stated if it was anywhere near 70% there is no way you could sleep on them.

As a mattress will give off and take moisture according to its surroundings, unless it's still wrapped in plastic it would have dried out in equilibrium with its surroundings since April. If a child wets a bed, it's dry within a day or so if you stand it up to air.

Combined with the other information you've given, particularly the mouldy chairs, it seems likely you have excess residual moisture within the house.

Hang on, your children have been sleeping in "wet" beds for 2 weeks? No dont think so. Let me guess the guy who measured the bed dampness, measured at the point that was contacting the wall - ie the damp part? So of course, it measured damp because it had been against the damp wall.

The beds were not wet sir, the insulating effect caused a cold spot on the wall which then caused condensation. I used to get it in my room when i was a child. There was no wet bed, nor were there build defects in that house. If i left it for any amount of time, mould would grow. I eventually got a headboard for the bed so that the material did not contact the wall - this solved the problem.

Sorry but the only person responsible is you, and if i were the company who you are blaming, i would take you to the cleaners for all the costs incurred.