Strange one

[Alwayslearning22]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

 

Absolutely not . 

You can test this. In a similar area, i.e. same floor construction, but not covered, put a piece of clean polythene down with weight on the edges to hold it down. If there is free moisture then it will condense under the polythene. You could use an upside down glass instead.

Putting a vapour barrier on top may be necessary but should not if a) one has been installed under the slab. b) the slab has had time to dry.

 

I've known drain smells to be dish-cloth-like. If the traps are not filled with water, it can come up there.

So if it is emitting moisture. What’s the fix? Vapour barrier under laminate and forget about it?

 

I’ll check drains again. I do know there’s a toilet pipe running under the slab on that area 

Edited 15 hours ago by Alwayslearning22

[Alwayslearning22]

30 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

 

As above. It should be consuming moisture not emitting it, but the question is of how good a job has been done installing the DPM.

Do you think it’s absorbing moisture and then sweating on the underlay? Thanks 

[Alwayslearning22]

2 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

 

As above. It should be consuming moisture not emitting it, but the question is of how good a job has been done installing the DPM.

Say they fitted the DPM badly and now I’ve moisture rising through in certain parts of the slab. It being a new build home, what’s normally would be the course of action for this? Thanks lads 

[Nickfromwales]

3 hours ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

Do you think it’s absorbing moisture and then sweating on the underlay? Thanks 

64 million dollar question, without further investigation, sorry! You'd need to lift a section of flooring and get your hooter on to the underlay to see what's creating the niff. If it is the underlay, then you'll need a membrane on the slab, then EPS underlay, then the floor back down.

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

It being a new build home, what’s normally would be the course of action

You would need some more certainty before making a formal fuss. But if they have left out the dpm it is a very big deal in competence, and in remedial work.

There should be a warranty document which will explain the protocol.

 

At some stage it would involve an independent expert and some testing.

 

Otoh if it was an old house with no dpm, you would paint the surface with a sealant. Bug don't do that... that is a long way down the line.

 

Unless I've mussed it, you having said which part of the country. Just approximately.

 

[Alwayslearning22]

9 hours ago, saveasteading said:

You would need some more certainty before making a formal fuss. But if they have left out the dpm it is a very big deal in competence, and in remedial work.

There should be a warranty document which will explain the protocol.

 

At some stage it would involve an independent expert and some testing.

 

Otoh if it was an old house with no dpm, you would paint the surface with a sealant. Bug don't do that... that is a long way down the line.

 

Unless I've mussed it, you having said which part of the country. Just approximately.

 

I’m in Northern Ireland 

This all started with a funky smell now I’m stressed to bits haha. 
I’ve noticed the smell is in different areas of the house. 
I would have thought a DPM failure would be rare? Isn't it very thick plastic.
Do most people have to put a membrane down on slab to stop moisture from coming up into laminated  

[Alwayslearning22]

9 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

64 million dollar question, without further investigation, sorry! You'd need to lift a section of flooring and get your hooter on to the underlay to see what's creating the niff. If it is the underlay, then you'll need a membrane on the slab, then EPS underlay, then the floor back down.

I’m lifting it today! 
If it’s the underlay stinking. What type of membrane could I use? 
Would this happen often in new homes I wonder? Ive never heard of someone floor smelling like this. 

[Nickfromwales]

7 minutes ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

I’m lifting it today! 
If it’s the underlay stinking. What type of membrane could I use? 
Would this happen often in new homes I wonder? Ive never heard of someone floor smelling like this. 

I had it happen to me on a basement flat conversion, where I used a dense (kind of thermal) underlay in a room where the floor had no DPM at all (as I found out later) and it was literally soaking wet.

 

I had to use SLC and a liquid (paint on) DPM to resolve that, but you should be seeing no such issues in a new build!

 

Final test would be a core drill to sample a section of your floor to check the layers.