Smell of damp

[BGB autosport]

We live in a victorian semi, its brick built and rendered on the outside. Before we moved in it had a lot of work done and some of this included battening and boarding one of the walls in the living room (out side wall not adjoining. Now its getting warmer and the C-heating is off it smells damp (so I'm told, i cant smell it but the wife can), no walls appear to be damp but obviously we can't see behind this boarding. Further down the house in the hall way its the same wall but not boarded and there is no sign of damp.

Anyone have any ideas on what we can do?

[mrsxllifts]

We had a similar problem,ended up with us both crawling round the problem room sniffing everuthing like the floor, radiators, walls etc working out where the smell was strongest! Ended up as just a leaky rad valve, which was drying itself when hot but dripping on the carpet when cold.

Definately worth trying to isolate the area of the smell, then seeing if there is any damp patches. even tidy one can smell.

Also, check your airbricks. Clear on the outside to help airflow, but make sure the smell isn't coming through them from outside.

[netherfield]

Had a similar problem 2 years ago,turned out to be either plumber or joiner had nailed through the waste from the bath,for about 3 years it was o.k.,then we started getting a damp smell for about a year but could never trace it,eventually the nail rusted away completely and caused £3000 worth of damage downstairs.

[Vron]

BGB autosport said:

We live in a victorian semi, its brick built and rendered on the outside. Before we moved in it had a lot of work done and some of this included battening and boarding one of the walls in the living room (out side wall not adjoining. Now its getting warmer and the C-heating is off it smells damp (so I'm told, i cant smell it but the wife can), no walls appear to be damp but obviously we can't see behind this boarding. Further down the house in the hall way its the same wall but not boarded and there is no sign of damp.

Anyone have any ideas on what we can do?

It could be the external wall is damp hence the 'dry lining' you describe. This won't feel damp as its created a 'cavity' but there will still be damp behind the plasterboard. It could have built up to a point behind there where you can now smell it. The render may have cracked and is allowing moisture in in the area where the dry lining has been done.

I am interested as to what your survey said when you bought it (see my other thread)?