Above our cellar, which is covered with 70cm (28 inches) of soil, the kitchen wall is damp. When we excavated, we found that there is no insulation (only a tar coating on the cellar concrete and on the wall) and no drainage installed. What should we do?
How far does the soil need to be removed, and how wide should the trench be – at least that is something we can do ourselves. Do we need a general construction company, a roofer, or a sheet metal worker? We want to properly install perimeter insulation. Since the kitchen is partially below ground level, the walls are also cold. Moisture behind the cellar should be able to drain away. How is proper insulation done when you need to protect a kind of "basin" (walls on two sides) correctly?
The part of the cellar below ground is a fallout shelter; the air inside is humid, but the concrete shows no signs of condensation. The part of the cellar under the kitchen is also structurally fine regarding the walls – only the wall above ground between the two cellars is affected. So far, nothing is visible on the outside (no flaking plaster), but what lies underground apparently allows moisture to pass inward – the kitchen cabinets smell of mold, salt gets instantly soaking wet, and sugar quickly hardens like stone.
The house is 20 years old, located on a hillside in Ticino, possibly with some water pressure from the slope. And as mentioned, there is no drainage. Would a Minergie specialist be suitable for this, or rather a company like Sica-Bau?
How far does the soil need to be removed, and how wide should the trench be – at least that is something we can do ourselves. Do we need a general construction company, a roofer, or a sheet metal worker? We want to properly install perimeter insulation. Since the kitchen is partially below ground level, the walls are also cold. Moisture behind the cellar should be able to drain away. How is proper insulation done when you need to protect a kind of "basin" (walls on two sides) correctly?
The part of the cellar below ground is a fallout shelter; the air inside is humid, but the concrete shows no signs of condensation. The part of the cellar under the kitchen is also structurally fine regarding the walls – only the wall above ground between the two cellars is affected. So far, nothing is visible on the outside (no flaking plaster), but what lies underground apparently allows moisture to pass inward – the kitchen cabinets smell of mold, salt gets instantly soaking wet, and sugar quickly hardens like stone.
The house is 20 years old, located on a hillside in Ticino, possibly with some water pressure from the slope. And as mentioned, there is no drainage. Would a Minergie specialist be suitable for this, or rather a company like Sica-Bau?
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herrmann-118 Apr 2015 11:39I agree with the previous commenter. This has little to do with the age of the house. The work was simply not done properly and carefully. Now the current owner is stuck with the work and the expenses. Good advice is hard to come by in this situation.
Dario schrieb:
I don’t think this has to do with the age of the house. Twenty years is not old for a house. It simply wasn’t done properly. It’s impossible to handle this work alone. Just find a professional company in the area, invite them over, and discuss everything. I would also arrange for three companies step by step and then compare the estimates.I agree with that, the age of the house doesn’t matter here. The work was just done very poorly — in other words, it was neglected. I had already suggested a construction company. Just get in touch with them.
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Urs1988-16 Oct 2015 13:37I can recommend the company ISOTEC. They specialize in this type of work. However, I cannot specify in which regions they operate. They also have good networks in Switzerland. They work with partner companies as well.