Has a foul odour spread indoors that you do not know where it comes from? Does the property have a turf base? Then it's time to inspect it!
This is because our modern lifestyles have made lofts a common place for moisture to accumulate, which can lead to mould and rot. Moisture in the foundation can lead to health problems for both people and houses, so it is important to address it quickly. However, prevention is of course the best approach. In this article, we'll tell you more about how to detect damp and how to deal with damp in the foundation of your house.
A croft foundation is a traditional variant of a crawl space. It is a ventilated foundation where the dwelling house stands on stones or walls, creating a space between the ground and the floor of the house. The stones are usually made of natural stone or bricks, which is a simple and cheap construction. Lifting the house off the ground avoids moisture damage on the timber.
Because older croft foundations do not have as well-insulated floor joists as modern houses, more heat leaks down through the floor, creating a drier climate in the foundation. However, the foundation is uninsulated, which means that the temperature follows the indoor climate. This can lead to problems if it is cold and damp outside, while there is a lot of heat coming from inside the house.
To create ventilation in the foundation, there are openings in the foundation wall. These are there to avoid moisture problems. However, if ventilation is poor, both damp and mould problems can occur. It is particularly common to see older houses and holiday cottages built on a croft foundation. More modern houses often stand on a crawl space built of concrete. A crawl space often has moisture barriers and insulation materials.
Older crofting foundations can suffer from damp problems, so it's important to be aware of the issues that can arise and how you can go about fixing them.
| Differences 🆚 | Torpaground 🧱 | Crawl space 🏡 |
|---|---|---|
| Time of use | Before the middle of the 20th century | From the mid-20th century onwards |
| material | Natural stone, brick | Concrete, masonry walls |
| Ventilation | Open, natural ventilation | Ventilated or with dehumidifier |
| Moisture risk | High | High |
| Insulation | None or minimal | Modern insulation |
A traditional croft foundation is particularly vulnerable to damp and mould. The foundation is as cold as the ground it stands on, while heat seeps down from the house through the floor joists. This can lead to condensation when water vapour condenses into water. So it is temperature differences between the ground, the outdoor environment and the air in the foundation that often lead to moisture problems.
If moisture builds up in your foundation and has nowhere to go, it can quickly lead to damp problems. Moisture can come from both the home and the ground. In the ground, there are many cold surfaces, i.e. the ground and the walls, where the moisture can turn into condensation.
There are advantages to having a turf foundation under your house. Above all, it is a cheap foundation, both to build and to repair if it suffers any damage. For example, it is both easier and cheaper to repair water leaks in a house built on a foundation than in a house built on a crawl space or slab.
However, failure to detect high humidity in time can lead to many negative consequences:
If you notice that a bad odours are spreading in the houseIf you smell a musty, pungent odour, it may be coming from the foundation. This is a sign that there is too much moisture in the foundation. This, in turn, can lead to mould and rot, i.e. the wood of the house is infected. In the worst case, it can lead to structural damage to the house.
It is important to address dampness in the foundation as soon as possible. If you have moisture in your foundation that has caused damage, it will not dry out by itself. The longer you allow the problems to continue, the more costly the repairs will be. You may also need to remove mould from the foundation and possibly the house if you find a large mould growth.
A combination of different measures is usually required to address dampness in crofting foundations. For example, improved ventilation may be needed. Check that the existing foundation vents are free of dirt and fouling, and increase the number of vents in the foundation wall to provide good air circulation.
Also check that the house has a good drainage system. There should be a good ground slope so that the ground surface around the house slopes away from the foundation, while all rainwater from downpipes and gutters must drain away properly.
If there is a lot of moisture in the ground under the house, you can place plastic sheeting on the ground to prevent soil moisture from evaporating into the foundation. Place a layer of crushed stone under the plastic sheeting to improve drainage.
It is important to inspect the foundation regularly to ensure that it is dry and sound. This way, you can detect moisture in the foundation in time and fix it before major problems arise. Inspections are particularly important during the summer and autumn, when it is most humid. If you have a dense peat soil with poor ventilation it can be a good idea to work preventively against moisture.
We recommend that you set up a portable desiccant dehumidifier and seals as best as possible. It is a machine that can help you dehumidify your turf base.
A desiccant dehumidifier is a proven method for small, unheated spaces such as turf foundations. This is because this machine has been developed to remove moisture in spaces that have a low temperature and high humidity. It works in both plus and minus temperatures and can therefore be used all year round.
💡 Need help sizing a dehumidifier? Try our digital tools which will suggest a suitable dehumidifier in a few seconds. The tool is completely free of charge. You are also welcome to contact us via email or telephone.
