Posted 11 September 2023

are my walls making me sick?

i live in a privately rented house in england. it was built in the 80s. most of the rooms have textured wallpaper and they have been painted over the paper. i assume the paper is pretty old but i think the paint is from the last 5-10 years. we have lived here for over four years and we're the first people to rent it. the house used to belong to the landlady's mother and she put it up for rent when she died. i sometimes notice that there seems to be a small patch of clear oil coming from the walls in different places and sometimes there are little spatters of orange/brown. i wipe these off but they seem to reappear. is it possible that my walls are dangerous. my partner and i have both been ill since 2020 but we believe it's long covid. is there a way to get my walls tested for safety? who would i contact? is there a test i can buy? what is causing the oil and marks? (yes, i have seen a doctor)

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11th Sep
sherwin-williams.com/en-…ing

This seems to be quite a common issue in privately rented properties and social housing. Typically down to lack of ventilation and moisture building up in the air (I had this when I moved into my current property and tried to dry clothing for the first few months). If it's a reoccurring issue, I'd suggest informing your landlord, but I can assure you that shouldn't be making you feel unwell (unless the property isn't well ventilated already).
11th Sep
All paints give off Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), however I would expect the amount to be reduced over time.

allergyfree.co.in/en-…int

There are tests you can have performed on yourself to check for allergies, however that wonlt confirm if it's the paint on your walls causing your symptoms.
11th Sep
Also worth pointing out that the only test I am aware off that is readily available for testing paint applied to walls is the lead test. Most houses built after 1978 should be lead free (internally at least, older flashings used rolled lead). They stopped the manufacture of lead paint back then, however it's my understanding that lead paint is only toxic if ingested. So unless there are particles of lead paint in the air you breathe you should not get nauseous breathing in a room that has been painted with lead paint.

What about carbon monoxide? Any chance of that being an issue? (edited)
11th Sep
You should mention it to the landlord, if it was their mothers they might have had the problem before, also it's best to make them aware so they can have a chance to rectify it.

I certainly wouldn't be throwing money about fixing a wall if it wasn't mine.
12th Sep
wow seriously? if you've been ill for like 3-4 years why don't you radically change your diet???
12th Sep
Highly unlikely to be anything to do with the paint or anything to do with the landlord. As already mentioned, such issues are usually caused by drying wet clothes inside with inadequate ventilation. Be careful as you will be causing damp which will eventually lead to mould if it hasn't already. Wipe walls down with some disinfectant just in case