Another request for help/information I'm afraid.

I have both family and friends with Spanish property, some holiday some permanent residence, all on the Costa Blanca. After the current winter of rain and cold they are complaining of damp in/on walls and condensation in most areas of their homes.

I am right in saying that new builds are without damp courses, and the external walls are single skin (not cavity) and largely built with hollow type blocks made of ceramic/terracotta material? It seems that there is no positive insulation in either floors, walls or ceilings; is this normal?

Also one family, in the hinterland of El Campello/Busot, are still on 'builders' electricity supply after 3 years (they have all their certification), and the authority are saying that they cannot be connected to the permanent supply because the overhead cable supply is being converted to underground cables; at the Government's direction.

Thanks for any help or info, regards Superskib

I'd say yes, that sounds pretty much how they're built to me??? They do tend to use double glazed sealed units in the windows tho. Spanish houses seem to be built with the summer heat in mind rather than the cold wet winters

Jo xxx

The latest building regulations insist on foam insulation of walls and roof.

We built a new house 6 years ago and have cavity walls with 10cm of sprayed on foam insulation on the inside of the outer wall. The roof is made from polystyrene panels in lieu of foam.

All windows are double glazed but I don't know if this is a requirement.

I think solar powered water heating is now mandatory on new builds but you don't see too many new builds at the moment!

No, thats not how they should be built.
There is a breeze block exterior, obviously screeded normally, then there is a layer of (normally) polystyrene insulation block, and then there is a second wall of ladrillos (narrower bricks), followed by concrete finish

I believe its law now for new builds to have the facilities for solar panels

If they are having damp problems then it may be an idea to coat the exterior in one of the clear sealants such as sika seal, which may help. Guttering may also be an aid if not already fitted

Our house doesn't have a damp problem but it takes a lot of heating. eg. on cold nights if I leave the CH on constant when we go to bed and set the thermo to 15C it is frequently coming on and off all night to maintain the temperature. I do the same in the UK and it rarely comes on until around 5am. OH reckons it is the concrete floors and tiles. Both houses have DG.

I think you are right there. If we had carpets it would be warmer. We have an electric blanket at night which keeps us cosy, but with all the insulation its still cold

Ohhh Matron.

any reaction to the use of DPC in Spain (damp roof course0?

If you mean Damp Proof Course, I've never seen it used by any Spanish builder. Nor have I seen it in any buildings.

All new builds have to comply with the CTE Seccion HS 1 - Proteccion frente a la humedad
http://www.coactfe.org/Extras/WEB_CTE/HS1.pdf
in which it is specified how impermeability of walls and floors is to be achieved. There is more than one method but includes DPMs and DPCs.

Normally in a reasonably well built (if this isn't an oxymoron;-)) Spanish house, there is a damp proof membrane in the 'cimentaciones' (foundations) and one on any flat roof. And a bitumen coating under roof tiles. Also in recent builds there is usually 'espuma' (foam) between the outer wall and the inner 'tabique' wall.
It's this inner skin which is made of really thin hollow bricks. Water gets in around window frames etc because the usual guards against bridging between walls aren't normally relevant in such a hot, relatively dry country. Ha Ha.
Also on older buildings, or poorly constructed buildings they may not use this espuma and even may make the walls between houses only one brick thick. So, If your neighbour is away, any of your warm humid rooms will have terrible condensation and mould on the chilly walls.
IMNSHO The problem with putting damp proof paint on the outside of walls is that when the good weather comes your building won't be able to 'breathe'. Effectively, a house with little protection from damp getting in...needs to let it out again!
The current trend for using plastic paints doesn't help.
Also (my opinion) yeso is better than cement for this ability to take up, wick off and dry out this unusual amount of water without cracking. So, If you have the choice if re-rendering.....

Actually, a "tabique" is a partition wall (normally between 2 rooms).

The wall you refer to is a "camra" wall or "camra de aire". (my spelling may not be accurate here).

Actually, if you're going to correct others you should ensure accuracy in your own facts
It's a "tabique" not a tabigue.
A "cámara de aire" is just a cavity (an air space)....not a cavity wall.
A cavity wall is una pared de doble hoja con cámara de aire...
You can form a cavity wall out of tabiques (un tabique de doble hoja or doble tabique) to improve its insulating (thermal or acoustic) properties or just to provide a space in which to run services etc.
The main thing is that a tabique is a non-loadbearing wall (carrying only its self-weight) and so, as angiescarr said, the inner skin of a cavity wall (be it external or party) could be a tabique, if it's non-loadbearing.

... yep, OK.

We, in the industry, simply call them camara walls (ask my 'master builder').

The name 'tabiques' are only used to refer to partition walls.

... I'm sure your terminology is more accurate but simply not used in everyday speech.

Yep. Sorry Snikpoh and previous poster. To correct myself, (and I am pedantic..even with myself;-))
The type of blocks I buy for constructing my 'inner skin' walls are the same they use for 'tabiques'. which are interior walls. So when I go to the local builders merchant. That's what I ask for. I'm not a builder. Just a crazy middle aged woman who has run out of money for too big a project. In the words of no going back "This wasn't the way it was meant to be". But its an exciting learning experience!
BTW on a local build I've seen really montrous tabiques. Like 2 foot by a foot and a half (sorry I'm in my 50s). Any of you 'real' builders out there know what they are called, and where I can get them from. I've done the downstairs tabiques with English style full bricks. But I want to go faster and have less necessity for sound and thermal insulation upstairs.
Maybe I should post this as a separate thread but we do seem to have the builders watching in here:-)