S
Starling
Hi there!
Here's a question I can't seem to find any answers to on't internet. Hoping some expert, experienced tiling folk may be able to shed some light!
In my 1920s-built, single skin brick, double glazed, semi-detached brick house on a hill, we have some pretty bad condensation in our bathroom, kitchen, downstairs loo and small front bedroom. Previous owner(s?) have a) blocked up all the house's original ventilation bricks and b) and painted over the terracotta skirting tiles in the freezing downstairs loo. So far, it's been quite common for the external wall corner - and the tile skirting - in this room to be wet to the touch, with some lovely black mould growing in the damp. Having bleached the mould off, and knowing that terracotta is porous, and looking briefly into how older houses were built to be breathable, I wondered what would happen if I removed the paint from the tile skirting. I started to do this, then felt the wall a day or so later, and it was dry. Not only that, but on one tile which was half still painted and half stripped, THE HALF THAT WAS PAINTED WAS WET AND THE STRIPPED HALF WAS DRY!! So: is it possible that these tiles were installed precisely for their porousness (since this tiny downstairs loo was once the house's bathroom), as part of the 'lung system' of the house, and is stripping them the right move?
Any feedback appreciated! THANKS!
Here's a question I can't seem to find any answers to on't internet. Hoping some expert, experienced tiling folk may be able to shed some light!
In my 1920s-built, single skin brick, double glazed, semi-detached brick house on a hill, we have some pretty bad condensation in our bathroom, kitchen, downstairs loo and small front bedroom. Previous owner(s?) have a) blocked up all the house's original ventilation bricks and b) and painted over the terracotta skirting tiles in the freezing downstairs loo. So far, it's been quite common for the external wall corner - and the tile skirting - in this room to be wet to the touch, with some lovely black mould growing in the damp. Having bleached the mould off, and knowing that terracotta is porous, and looking briefly into how older houses were built to be breathable, I wondered what would happen if I removed the paint from the tile skirting. I started to do this, then felt the wall a day or so later, and it was dry. Not only that, but on one tile which was half still painted and half stripped, THE HALF THAT WAS PAINTED WAS WET AND THE STRIPPED HALF WAS DRY!! So: is it possible that these tiles were installed precisely for their porousness (since this tiny downstairs loo was once the house's bathroom), as part of the 'lung system' of the house, and is stripping them the right move?
Any feedback appreciated! THANKS!
