HHSRS VERSION 2

SEPTEMBER 2004

DAMP AND MOULD

Persons aged under 15 years

Excess Cold

Vulnerable age

Related hazards

Front elevation

HHSRS VERSION 2

Multiple locations

Yes

No

Secondary hazards

Yes

No

Damp in rear dining room

Damp proof courses near front door

DESCRIPTION OF HAZARD⁄S

Dwelling:

1930s detached, 4 bedroomed house

Background: This is a four bedroomed detached house built in the late 1930s in a low lying area

that has a high water table. The front of the house faces south.

A) Damp proof course:- The damp-proof course comprises three layers of 'staffordshire blue' bricks

laid in cement mortar. However, along the left hand side wall near the rear corner of the house, the

cavity wall is bridged by debris. This problem is exacerbated by the garden having been built up

on this side of the house to just above the top of the layers of blue bricks. Together these problems

are giving rise to serious rising damp behind and above the skirting board in the rear living room.

A

3

-

-

A

-

-

Plumbing⁄waste pipes

Rain water goods

Roof⁄sub-floor spaces

Small room sizes

LIST OF RELEVANT MATTERS

LIKELIHOOD & OUTCOMES

1

Rising damp

2

Penetrating damp

3

Condensation

4

Mould growth

a

Energy efficiency

b

Background ventilation

c

Extract ventilation

d

Clothes drying facilities

e

Damp proofing

f

Disrepair

g

Exposed water tanks etc

h

Water using appliances

I

j

k

-

A

-

-

-

l

-

-

-

-

3

2

-

-

# Secondary hazards

-

None

-

-

Key

3

Seriously defective

2

Defective

1

Not satisfactory

-

Satisfactory⁄NA

Av: 10.0

10.0

A B C D E F G H

I

J

Lowering the garden path alongside the side wall to below the three layers of

staffordshire blue bricks is likely to reduce the amount of rising damp considerablely.

However, to cure the problem completely, the cavity needs to be cleaned out and the

DPC restored. Curing the dampness totally would reduce the rating to better than the

average for the national stock.

Av: 12 Improved

Justification

NEW RATING

Av: Nos

RATING SCORES AFTER IMPROVEMENT

IMPROVE

Likelihood to

1 in 5,600

Outcomes to

0.0

1.0 10.0 89.0

%

Score:

48

A B C D E F G H+ I

J

Average: 12

Example

As there is no associated mould growth, the outcomes are no worse than average.

However, notwithstanding the average outcomes, the high likelihood gives a HHSRS

score above average and a rating band of H plus.

< 0.05 0.15

89.0

0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Av: 89.0

89.0

0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

38 >

Score:

< 1

0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

Av: 1.0

1.0

%

0.0

38 >

1.0

38 >

10.0

0.3

0.7

1.5

3

7

15

26

Average: 0.0

0.0

< 0.05 0.15

< 0.05 0.15

< 0.05 0.15

Although representing a serious problem of rising damp, the damp is confined to the

living room. The house is also reasonably well heated, having gas fired central heating,

and is well ventilated. There is no associated mould growth. Consequently, although

inconvenient and unsightly, the risk to health is relatively small. Nevertheless, the

likelihood is higher than average, most housing having no serious problems of damp in

the living room or elsewhere.

Justification

OUTCOMES

Class I

Class II

Class III

Class IV

Justification

RATING

130

75

42

24

13

7.5

4

< 4200 2400 1300 750 420 240

1 in

100

2.5

1.5 >

Low

High

Average: 400

Example

100

LIKELIHOOD

HHSRS VERSION 2

SEPTEMBER 2004

HEALTH AND SAFETY RATING SYSTEM SCORES

1920-45 House

Average likelihood, outcomes and HHSRS score for hazards from damp & mould by

persons aged under 15 years in 1920-45 non-HMO and all dwellings,1997-99.