Hello! My partner and I have found a house built in 1979, and we have been made aware that there are some risks, and it should preferably be avoided. During the viewing, there was absolutely no strange smell which I understand can occur with damp impregnated sills. It has also been pre-inspected, with various samples taken.
They made a hole in the kitchen and noted a floating floor with laminate flooring over chipboard, above insulation of fiberboards lying on plastic sheeting, sand, and then the concrete slab. In the sand under the plastic sheeting, elevated humidity has been measured. However, it does not indicate what value was found. Is this a big problem?
They have also taken samples from two sills in the outer wall and measured moisture content of 16% and 17.5%. Is this normal or too high? No smell was detected during the viewing. They also didn't have all the windows and doors open when we arrived to air out any odor.
Is this a purchase we should even consider? Replacing the sills in the outer walls is something we are willing to do, but the problem might still persist.
Best regards,
They made a hole in the kitchen and noted a floating floor with laminate flooring over chipboard, above insulation of fiberboards lying on plastic sheeting, sand, and then the concrete slab. In the sand under the plastic sheeting, elevated humidity has been measured. However, it does not indicate what value was found. Is this a big problem?
They have also taken samples from two sills in the outer wall and measured moisture content of 16% and 17.5%. Is this normal or too high? No smell was detected during the viewing. They also didn't have all the windows and doors open when we arrived to air out any odor.
Is this a purchase we should even consider? Replacing the sills in the outer walls is something we are willing to do, but the problem might still persist.
Best regards,
Hello and welcome to the Byggahus forum!
The main problem with many 70s houses is that they are founded with an uninsulated concrete slab. Warm and humid (these are related) indoor air can seep down to the concrete and condense (i.e., turn into water). Wood and other organic materials in contact with the concrete's moist environment will have an elevated moisture content and begin to slowly rot. If you use pressure-treated wood, it won't rot but might still develop an unhealthy odor. A 16-17.5% moisture content is far too high for wood that is 40 years old and is a sign that everything is not as it should be. One might wonder how the sill that the interior walls are built on looks? There are solutions to all such problems; the question is, what do they cost? At the right price, most houses are worth buying.
The main problem with many 70s houses is that they are founded with an uninsulated concrete slab. Warm and humid (these are related) indoor air can seep down to the concrete and condense (i.e., turn into water). Wood and other organic materials in contact with the concrete's moist environment will have an elevated moisture content and begin to slowly rot. If you use pressure-treated wood, it won't rot but might still develop an unhealthy odor. A 16-17.5% moisture content is far too high for wood that is 40 years old and is a sign that everything is not as it should be. One might wonder how the sill that the interior walls are built on looks? There are solutions to all such problems; the question is, what do they cost? At the right price, most houses are worth buying.
Hello, and thank you!
I have understood that the concrete slab is the culprit in this. If you then replace the sills, the problem reoccurs after X-number of years unless you install some form of ventilated floor? Sounds like an expensive story for a very unhandy person like myself. As a new parent of small children, it feels very insecure to move into a house with potentially harmful particles circulating in the air.
Is it even possible to dry out the concrete slab in any way, or is it just a matter of giving up and finding another property?
Houses from the 70s are very practical in terms of layout and size.
Do all houses from the 70s have these problems, and if so, should one look for something that has been fixed? Or is that also a disaster?
A lot of people live in the area in 70s villas, I think
I have understood that the concrete slab is the culprit in this. If you then replace the sills, the problem reoccurs after X-number of years unless you install some form of ventilated floor? Sounds like an expensive story for a very unhandy person like myself. As a new parent of small children, it feels very insecure to move into a house with potentially harmful particles circulating in the air.
Is it even possible to dry out the concrete slab in any way, or is it just a matter of giving up and finding another property?
Houses from the 70s are very practical in terms of layout and size.
Do all houses from the 70s have these problems, and if so, should one look for something that has been fixed? Or is that also a disaster?
A lot of people live in the area in 70s villas, I think
Fixing the problems that may be associated with this particular house must be contracted out. Ideally, you should first get someone with expertise to create a request for proposal and then solicit bids based on that. Estimated costs with margins must be deducted from the price for it to be attractive. Finding stable and long-term solutions is not a problem. It's more important to be a good administrator than a handyman.
Explaining why 70s houses specifically have this problem probably requires a doctoral dissertation. I believe it was a combination of insufficient technical competence among the contractors and the large-scale nature of most construction at that time. The knowledge was there with everyone who had proper education.
Explaining why 70s houses specifically have this problem probably requires a doctoral dissertation. I believe it was a combination of insufficient technical competence among the contractors and the large-scale nature of most construction at that time. The knowledge was there with everyone who had proper education.
Now I think you're lying a bit. I assume you are not a carpenter or something similar since 16% is not at all dangerous or urgent. But you should be attentive and test the part of the sill with high moisture content.J justusandersson said:
I usually don't lie. You read carelessly. I wrote that the measured ratios are higher than they should be and that it's an indication of a moisture-related problem. I did not write that 16% is an alarming level; it corresponds to a normal lumberyard ratio.
I understand that the work needs to be outsourced. Replacing the outer wall sill and heart sill and laying nivell/Platon floor. But can one assume that the problem is solved after such a measure? Or should one need to worry about moisture from the foundation regardless?
Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be; if there's elevated moisture content in the beams, then replace them.
What particles would be flying around due to a slightly high moisture content in a few beams? And why would you need to install a floating ventilated floor? There are plenty of similar houses where the beams have been replaced mostly because of odor, and that's perfectly sufficient.
What particles would be flying around due to a slightly high moisture content in a few beams? And why would you need to install a floating ventilated floor? There are plenty of similar houses where the beams have been replaced mostly because of odor, and that's perfectly sufficient.
One should differentiate between what to do if one already owns a 70s house or is considering buying one. In the latter case, it is wise to calculate what needs fixing and deduct these costs from a potential purchase price.