Hi all,
I live in Canberra and we've bought an apartment in Watson (Starlight complex) on the ground floor at the corner of the 2 story building about a year ago. When we were inspecting it I could smell the mould but it was painted over so just decide to deal with it later. Then we had an issue with previos tenants related to the extensive moisture and mould. Now we have the same issue with the new tenant. So it doen's look like it is a "tenant related issue". Especially becase in the body corp records I found complaints from other tenants living in the place as well.
We tried to increase the ventilation by setting up windows locks to allow partially open windows and fresh air intake but it doesn't help. The mould comes not from the bathroom as you would expect but instead it is built up in bedrooms, closets, dining and lounge rooms. (As I read the forum it migth be explained that bathrooms have fans but other areas don't).
I had a gut feeling that it can be a rising damp. So I raised it with the body corp and made them to bring the structural engineer. I participated in his inspection. However he rejected the idea of the rising damp saying that there is a big underground parking underneath (under the whole building) and the ventilation is very good over there.
But if this is not the rising damp then what it could be?
I'm looking for any advice or any contacts of people which I can talk to and bring them to the building to inspect the issue and happy to pay for the job. I guess I need to look for the structural engineer especially for someone who can not just reject the rising damp idea but instead can figure out what is going on and how to fix it. Any help will be very appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Vit
P.S. I've searched and read the forum re: mould and damp - so now I'm looking for references of professionals to inspect and fix.
I live in Canberra and we've bought an apartment in Watson (Starlight complex) on the ground floor at the corner of the 2 story building about a year ago. When we were inspecting it I could smell the mould but it was painted over so just decide to deal with it later. Then we had an issue with previos tenants related to the extensive moisture and mould. Now we have the same issue with the new tenant. So it doen's look like it is a "tenant related issue". Especially becase in the body corp records I found complaints from other tenants living in the place as well.
We tried to increase the ventilation by setting up windows locks to allow partially open windows and fresh air intake but it doesn't help. The mould comes not from the bathroom as you would expect but instead it is built up in bedrooms, closets, dining and lounge rooms. (As I read the forum it migth be explained that bathrooms have fans but other areas don't).
I had a gut feeling that it can be a rising damp. So I raised it with the body corp and made them to bring the structural engineer. I participated in his inspection. However he rejected the idea of the rising damp saying that there is a big underground parking underneath (under the whole building) and the ventilation is very good over there.
But if this is not the rising damp then what it could be?
I'm looking for any advice or any contacts of people which I can talk to and bring them to the building to inspect the issue and happy to pay for the job. I guess I need to look for the structural engineer especially for someone who can not just reject the rising damp idea but instead can figure out what is going on and how to fix it. Any help will be very appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Vit
P.S. I've searched and read the forum re: mould and damp - so now I'm looking for references of professionals to inspect and fix.