How can I deal with a wall in my kitchen showing damp?

Hi Margaret if you have water coming into your home you need to find the source asap or the situation will just keep getting worse. I would call a construction company and ask them to come over and give you an assessment and a quote.

You may have an upstairs bathroom piping leak. Check first for dampness or drops of water by the toilet or beneath the sink.

Check upstairs laundry supply pipes, if relevant to your home.

Water can take a very long time to reach lower levels. This may be the result of chemical interactions between piping, over many years.

You may also have a roof leak, roof flashing or skylight flashing needing replacement. Please have a roofing specialist and skilled plumber investigate these options, then immediately seek correction.

Thanks for all your help.

You might have a leak in the wall

Margaret: I know it can hurt to spend the money to have it evaluated and fixed --- but you will save a TON of $ in the long run -- not having to do a major repair.

Margaret,. You have too much moisture in your house,. Your heat can be too high, when the temperature is too low outside. You need a dehumidifier, to rectify this problem. Aloha!

Thanks a lot folks,

Because this is an inside wall condensation seems less likely. Condensation is usually on an outside wall when outside is much colder than inside and insulation is not so good. Metal window frames cause huge condensation and drips.

before you rush to bring in a construction expert do some basic detective work.

Damp from top of wall, ceiling also wet suggests a leaky bathroom pipe or fixture upstairs. Upstairs neighbour may have left a bath running, or connected the washer pipes with duct tape. We've had that. Duct tape=bad idea in this case.

Lower wall showing rising damp suggests leaky problems below the floor.

Definitely deal with it .

Can you give us a better idea of the problem and the surroundings.

Margaret, just a thought: is it showing damp when you cook a lot? Do you have a vent fan and use it? I've seen this happening in my kitchen, because my vent fan wasn't working, and the wall was cold, causing condensation. Good luck solving your problem.