Just found some black mould

[MikeGrahamT21]

Currently lifting all the carpets and floors in the little bedroom in preparation to knock through into the new extension...

 

Floor construction is suspended timber, absolutely no insulation whatsoever at present. About 5 years ago, we had a leak on the radiator pipe where this black mould is, the stain on the floor would lead you to believe its still wet, but so far it all feels dry, though i've not lifted the floor board there yet, but the carpet grippers around this radiator pipe were coated in thick black mould.

 

Underneath this area is an air brick, though its now open on to the extension though still gets to around 5c in winter.

 

Humidity levels in the house are always around 50%, even through winter, with temperature around 20C. I just can't understand why mould would grow next to a hot radiator pipe of all places??

 

Will report on my findings what is beneath the floorboards...i dread to think

[MikeGrahamT21]

Under the floor boards looks fine, and doesn't have the damp stain, just a million wood worm holes in the joists! oh well i knew they were there anyway

[gravelld]

43 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

Humidity levels in the house are always around 50% [...] with temperature around 20C

 

In the house in general, maybe. But not in specific places, and that's what matters.

[Ian]

45 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

I just can't understand why mould would grow next to a hot radiator pipe of all places??

 

obvious cause would be a slow drip from the radiator

[MikeGrahamT21]

yeah thats true, i guess the cold from the airbrick would make moisture accumulate here.

[MikeGrahamT21]

2 minutes ago, Ian said:

obvious cause would be a slow drip from the radiator

Yeah, i thought the same, but feeling round its dry, unless it only leaks when hot, i.e. more pressure.

[MikeGrahamT21]

Underneath was clean, nothing to report, so yeah, i guess the only sensible explanation is the radiator has been leaking for the last 5 years, explains why i've needed to keep topping it up!

[vivienz]

We had an insidious slow leak in one of our heating pipes, but it was in the cavity under the living room floor.  Had to keep topping up the boiler for years until we realised that our house insurance covered 'track and trace' costs for leak detection.  Once it was found, it was a quick job to replace a worn connector and all was well thereafter.

[MikeGrahamT21]

Wow, didn't think house insurance would cover such things, will bear that in mind for future.

 

All the floor is up now, the worst thing I found bar the woodworm, was one of the joists sat on a sleeper wall with an electric cable sandwiched in between! Must have been like that for about 30 odd years. It is nice knowing that things are correct once i've done them.

[MikeGrahamT21]

God I hate wood worm! I've spent all day ripping rotten joists out and underpinning partition walls.

 

Tomorrow, I start installing the new manifold heating system, looking forward to it, though going to be very tricky with no floors up trying to hit smallish holes in the floors in each room. Luckily 4 of 7 radiators are in the area where the floor is currently up so they will be nice and easy to do.

 

Looks like the builder who did the foundations on the extension managed to get the floor 10mm lower than the old house, presuming overlaying the joists with treated 10mm timber screwed and glued to the top of the new joists will be fine?