It’s every buyer’s nightmare: noticing moisture in your dream home right after purchase. What are your rights as a buyer then? Can you sue the seller? Or do you have to bear the costs of moisture control yourself? We provide the answers to your questions below.
Are You Protected against Moisture after Purchasing a House?
If you notice moisture after you’ve bought a house, there might be a hidden defect. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the seller will have to cover the costs.
The sales agreement usually includes a clause stating that the seller cannot be held liable for hidden defects. Only when the seller knew about the moisture problem and tried to conceal it during the sale can you make the seller cover the costs.
In that case, the selling party was not acting in good faith and thus breached the agreement. If that’s the case, the seller must bear the costs. In principle, you won’t have to pay anything for the moisture control yourself.
What should You Do if You Notice Moisture after Purchasing a House?
Have you noticed a moisture problem after buying a house? And was that moisture masked or hidden by the seller during the sales process? Then it’s important to act quickly. But what exactly should you do?
- The first step is to give the seller formal notice of default, for which it’s best to consult a lawyer.
- You do this with as much evidence (photos) as possible.
- When you can demonstrate with your photos that the seller did not act in good faith, you have a strong case.
Solusio can also help you in such situations. We have the necessary equipment to accurately map moisture problems. This way, we can tell you exactly what the extent, cause, and nature of the moisture problem is.
Not all Moisture Problems are Visible
But it’s possible the seller really didn’t know about the moisture problem. In an early stage, not all moisture problems are visible:
- It takes a long time before, for example, rising damp manifests itself in moisture spots or white spots on the wall. This only happens when the bricks are saturated with moisture.
- Additionally, a moisture spot can be hidden behind wallpaper, so the seller may not have been aware of the problem yet.
Only when the moisture problem must have been visibly apparent and was deliberately camouflaged around the time of sale can you possibly hold the seller liable. If that’s not the case, you will have to take care of the moisture control at your own expense.
How is Moisture in Houses Controlled?
How the moisture is ultimately controlled depends on the cause of the moisture problem.
- If you notice rising damp after purchasing a house, we will primarily use wall injections. We drill holes in the damp wall and fill them with a moisture-repellent gel. This product hardens and forms a waterproof barrier. The moisture can then no longer rise in your walls.
- For penetrating damp, moisture caused by a crack or fissure in the facade, the facade is repaired and hydrophobized. In that case, we spray the facade with a transparent, moisture-repellent agent.
- For condensation problems, although these are difficult to conceal when purchasing a house, only ventilation can help. The installation of a mechanical ventilation system is then necessary.
Is the moisture problem in the basement? Then basement waterproofing might be in order. We cover the basement walls with new layers of waterproof cement, essentially forming a waterproof tub inside the existing basement. For very damp basements, basement drainage is recommended.
How much Does Moisture Control Cost after Purchasing a House?
The cost of moisture control, after noticing moisture when purchasing a home, is impossible to determine without first inspecting the situation. Wall injections, basement waterproofing, or basement drainage all come with different price tags.
Tip: If the costs for moisture control fall under your responsibility? Then you can get financial support for certain works through the My Renovation Premium (Mijn VerbouwPremie) from the Flemish government.
Solusio Tackles Moisture Problems in Homes
Have you noticed moisture problems right after purchasing a home? Then it’s important to check if you’re protected against hidden defects and whether or not to hold the seller liable . After that, it’s time to effectively eradicate the moisture problem.
For that, you can rely on Solusio. We have extensive experience in combating moisture in homes. Contact us today for an appointment or more information.