Damp and Condensation- air bricks and damp proof course

I can only get to my house for a limited number of times each year. It lies empty for most of the year and not surprisingly I have a condensation problem. I may also have a damp problem and I am researching this separately.  I have been told that I need a good airflow in the house in order to reduce the condensation and that air bricks or air vents is a possible solution.  If I do get them installed I would want to ensure that creepy crawlers and rodents are kept out. Can anyone suggest a good type of air brick or vent. I would also like to hear from anyone who has had this done and benefit from their experience.

In terms of my possible damp problem I am trying to work out the best way to tackle this.  I know how we would do this in the UK with injection of a solution into the wall. I cannot see how this could be done in Spain because of the hollow bricks. Has anyone had any damp course treatment in Spain.  I would like to hear about it.

Thank you 

PaddyW

Hi Paddy.

I'm a very untechnical person, so don't know if I'll explain this correctly. We had a big problem with damp/condensation - when we were away from our house over the winter we turned up one year in February to mould growing in the bathroom and a bedroom - it was even all over a wooden bed. So we got a few small holes knocked in the external walls - one in the upstairs bathroom, one in the back bedroom where the mould had appeared, and two downstairs on the same corner of the house. We then took over these little vent covers you get in B and Q - they have a tiny switch so that you can shut them off in the summer, so that all the dust doesn't come into the house. They revolutionised the house - and we never had the problem again, because the air could flow freely. It was super-cheap and brilliantly effective.

All the best with it.

Yes air circulation is the answer, that's why current UK regulations demand that double glazed window frames are vented, it's also a safety feature in respect of carbon monoxide poisioning. Our UK next door neighbours have all their windows closed shut and locked at night because of 'them' climbing in, whoever 'them' are, they have to use towels to mop up the sills every morning.  

We struggled to get a window company to put vents in our new windows last year because they affect the energy rating of the frames.

Mark

Damp.I know how we would do this in the UK with injection of a solution into the wall. I cannot see how this could be done in Spain because of the hollow bricks. Has anyone had any damp course treatment in Spain.  

Paddyw

The hollow bricks can be treated in the same way an I UK. There are companies who do it.

However, I have treated 3 out of 4 walls of a villa I once owned which had a serious damp problem, which resulted in damge to plaster and condensation on the windows etc.   I have also resolved more isolated problems in smallish sections in a couple of walls in my son’s apartment.

I drilled ½” holes, at about 30 cms centres, from the outside, slightly diagonally downwards,  just below the floor level in the villa, having marked the drill piece so that I would not break through the plaster inside.  I then put a tube into the holes, with a funnel on the outer end.  I filled the funnel with a silicon water-proofer  (Thompson’s)  and slowly withdrew the tube so that I distributed the water-proofer across the thickness of the walls.    I repeated that every days or so for a couple of weeks.  It resulted in the water-proofer soaking into the brickwork and thus providing a waterproof barrier for the hole wall.. 

I did much the same with the internal walls: Drilling down diagonally at the base of the walls and repeating the tube and funnel.

Complete success in each case and no more damp nor condensation

That was most useful Johnzx, thank you. 

I googled a couple of your comments and came across this which I also found highly informative which I thought I should share:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj99RNY55Es

A proper and good air flow is the way you can remove damp. And ventilation system is the best thing you can ever have to get rid of damp and condensation.We had mould and condensation in our bedrooms, since we have the system put in, we no longer have any such problems and it is controlling the mould.