Purchase preparation
Damp does not hide: where to look when viewing an older flat
A freshly painted flat can mean a tidy owner, or a hurried cover-up. Damp has its permanent places and its seasons, so a viewing armed with that knowledge sees more than one armed with a meter.
Where damp lives
Climate data shows autumn and winter are the coast's more humid periods, and inside a flat this shows on north walls, in corners along floor and ceiling, and behind furniture pressed against an outside wall.1
Window frames and reveals show condensation first: a dark speck in the silicone and a bubble in the paint are older than any fresh coat.1
What the energy certificate reveals
The certificate, mandatory for advertising and sale, describes the building envelope and joinery, so it shows whether the building is insulated and when windows were replaced.2
A flat with new windows in an uninsulated building can have more condensation than before, because air no longer moves through the old frames: that is a question for the manager and the neighbours.2,1
Questions for the viewing
Ask how the flat is heated and aired in winter: answers like we open the windows for five minutes each morning tell you the residents actively live with damp.1