Dear All,
I think we might have a problem with damp in our kitchen, but I am not sure what type it might be and what course of action to take. We are thinking of re-fitting the kitchen so now is probably the time to address this problem.
The house is ~1930's, it has a damp-proof coarse fitted. The kitchen has a concrete floor with lino over the top. The kitchen units are pretty old (I would guess at ~15 years) and are the standard chip-board construction.
I have not noticed any damp patches, but the kitchen has always had a bit of a funny mouldy smell (nice!). This is particularly noticeable within the cupboards. Having a sniff around, this smell can be found in all the ground level cupboard units, some of which are on interior and some on exterior walls. My father suggested that this was due to a lack of ventilation in the cavity behind and under the units. A good suggestion, but there are some cupboards which have no cavity at the back, just plastered wall. The smell is still present in these. If cups/plates are left in cupboards for a couple of months, a very fine mould seems to grow on them. Not very pleasant!
Condensation is often a problem in kitchens, however this smell and fine mould can be found everywhere, on areas where it appears to be dry most of the time. From the way it grows, I would almost suspect that it is something within the wood of the kitchen units.
None of the rest of the house shows signs of damp or mould. Other rooms that share inside walls with the Kitchen are fine. Within the kitchen, all wall coverings are fine and show no signs of damp.
Does anyone have any good suggestions? I will strip the kitchen before re-fitting, so will be able to perform treatments if required.
Many thanks, Colin E.