HELP Please! Damp issue
Discussion
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Would love to know what people think is causing the damp coming through on bedroom wall. Wall is papered and painted over (with a Zinsser wallpaper cover up undercoat) and the damp is coming through on blockwork pattern. I think the wall construction is just blockwork and render, with no cavity.
We had seen this "pattern" show through before if there was heavy driving rain (the corner of the room is westerly facing) and assumed it was the moisture coming through the cracks in the exterior render showing in the second pic (you can see the previous owners' efforts to repair the cracks as well). We even had two quotes for patching the cracks but couldn't get either to actually book the work in.
But today the pattern showing through is way more visible than it's ever been (we have heavy snow today). Above the bedroom is a "room in the roof" and eaves storage, and I can't see any evidence at all of damp in either (I'm trying to rule out a possible damaged roof tile/leak). Does anyone think it's possible this could be caused just by the cracks (admittedly not small cracks!) or possibly a combination of that and cold spots causing condensation?
Thanks!
The cracks certainly wont be helping.
First thing I'd check is that gutter above and the downpipe for it. Ensure it is not blocked or full of moss/leaves/etc. If it is blocked, water could literally just flow down the wall and will find any crack/split to get in.
I'd be checking out the roof as well.
First thing I'd check is that gutter above and the downpipe for it. Ensure it is not blocked or full of moss/leaves/etc. If it is blocked, water could literally just flow down the wall and will find any crack/split to get in.
I'd be checking out the roof as well.
As there's a weird first floor "balcony" directly by the cracks I can get a ladder and check the gutter (though I'd hope it's not that as we paid to have them cleared last year).
As for the roof I could "look" when I'm up there on the ladder checking the gutters, but wouldn't know what I'm looking for if I'm honest!
As for the roof I could "look" when I'm up there on the ladder checking the gutters, but wouldn't know what I'm looking for if I'm honest!
Tommy1000 said:
Would love to know what people think is causing the damp coming through on bedroom wall.
Tommy1000 said:
I think the wall construction is just blockwork and render, with no cavity.
I think you're right, and if you are, there's your problem, right there. The render would have to be in absolutely perfect condition to prevent damp penetration, and to be honest you're not going to achieve that very easily.
Obviously, I haven't seen the whole property, but if I were you and you're looking for a permanent fix, I'd be thinking in terms of hacking off the existing external render, then Newtonite lathing, then external wall insulation, then new render.
Hope you've got deep pockets, though.
kup of a building.It's like something from a third World country. HTF has someone managed to get away with building that and selling it?
If I angle my screen a certain way on your external pic I can see the same effect there as you can internally.
If you can't move out then consider battening it and putting some kind of cladding on it like Cedral with some insulation too.
Your heating bill must be horrendous.
If I angle my screen a certain way on your external pic I can see the same effect there as you can internally.
If you can't move out then consider battening it and putting some kind of cladding on it like Cedral with some insulation too.
Your heating bill must be horrendous.
Equus said:
I think you're right, and if you are, there's your problem, right there.
The render would have to be in absolutely perfect condition to prevent damp penetration, and to be honest you're not going to achieve that very easily.
Obviously, I haven't seen the whole property, but if I were you and you're looking for a permanent fix, I'd be thinking in terms of hacking off the existing external render, then Newtonite lathing, then external wall insulation, then new render.
Hope you've got deep pockets, though.
Thanks for this suggestion, I’ll investigate.The render would have to be in absolutely perfect condition to prevent damp penetration, and to be honest you're not going to achieve that very easily.
Obviously, I haven't seen the whole property, but if I were you and you're looking for a permanent fix, I'd be thinking in terms of hacking off the existing external render, then Newtonite lathing, then external wall insulation, then new render.
Hope you've got deep pockets, though.
If that proves too costly, I guess at a minimum cracks repair (assuming there’s no guttering or roof issue) plus a new weathertight paint or better still a thicker render plus weathertight paint per this suggestion:
https://www.uk.weber/blog/what-is-ghosting
The "damp" lines of the mortar joints show right up to ceiling height inside. If it was penetrating damp it would be worse lower down away from the eaves protection and less uniform. It looks pretty much like condensation on the higher conductivity mortar to me.
Only two ways to reduce surface condensation, either lessen the moisture content in the room (ventilation, dehumidifiers, change of use etc) or reduce the temperature difference between the internal wall surface and room temperature ( insulation on inside or outside of wall or heat the wall).
Solution will be dependent on several different factors.
Only two ways to reduce surface condensation, either lessen the moisture content in the room (ventilation, dehumidifiers, change of use etc) or reduce the temperature difference between the internal wall surface and room temperature ( insulation on inside or outside of wall or heat the wall).
Solution will be dependent on several different factors.
Evoluzione said:
It's like something from a third World country. HTF has someone managed to get away with building that and selling it?
If I angle my screen a certain way on your external pic I can see the same effect there as you can internally.
If you can't move out then consider battening it and putting some kind of cladding on it like Cedral with some insulation too.
Your heating bill must be horrendous.
That’s a good spot on the external pic I hadn’t noticed that.If I angle my screen a certain way on your external pic I can see the same effect there as you can internally.
If you can't move out then consider battening it and putting some kind of cladding on it like Cedral with some insulation too.
Your heating bill must be horrendous.
Yes tediously it’s not something that came up on a fairly detailed survey before buying the house.
Other than visually it doesn’t affect our lives at all oddly, and heating bill is fine as well
Desiderata said:
The "damp" lines of the mortar joints show right up to ceiling height inside. If it was penetrating damp it would be worse lower down away from the eaves protection and less uniform. It looks pretty much like condensation on the higher conductivity mortar to me.
Only two ways to reduce surface condensation, either lessen the moisture content in the room (ventilation, dehumidifiers, change of use etc) or reduce the temperature difference between the internal wall surface and room temperature ( insulation on inside or outside of wall or heat the wall).
Solution will be dependent on several different factors.
Good suggestion, this (and I guess is borne out by fact we’ve got the coldest weather we’ve had at the moment). Will see if increased ventilation etc helps.Only two ways to reduce surface condensation, either lessen the moisture content in the room (ventilation, dehumidifiers, change of use etc) or reduce the temperature difference between the internal wall surface and room temperature ( insulation on inside or outside of wall or heat the wall).
Solution will be dependent on several different factors.
Insulating inside might be an option soon as we’re looking to renovate this room.
Tommy1000 said:
Evoluzione said:
It's like something from a third World country. HTF has someone managed to get away with building that and selling it?
If I angle my screen a certain way on your external pic I can see the same effect there as you can internally.
If you can't move out then consider battening it and putting some kind of cladding on it like Cedral with some insulation too.
Your heating bill must be horrendous.
That’s a good spot on the external pic I hadn’t noticed that.If I angle my screen a certain way on your external pic I can see the same effect there as you can internally.
If you can't move out then consider battening it and putting some kind of cladding on it like Cedral with some insulation too.
Your heating bill must be horrendous.
Yes tediously it’s not something that came up on a fairly detailed survey before buying the house.
Other than visually it doesn’t affect our lives at all oddly, and heating bill is fine as well
Surveys are not worth the paper they're written on sadly. That was quoted from a thread on here by a fellow professional just the other day and it's very true.
There is enough depth there to get some insulation and cladding on.
The original house is 30s detached so (based on my understanding from survey and a cavity wall surveyor) ground floor cavity wall and then first floor brick no cavity. The bedroom with the issue is that part of an 80s extension which was built on the side (essentially to make the house “double fronted”, and I think (though am not 100%) that again it was done with a ground floor cavity and (because of the way the first floor “steps in” as with the original 30s but of the house) no cavity on the first floor, so just blockwork and render.
Yes it’s UK
Yes it’s UK
The original house is 30s detached so (based on my understanding from survey and a cavity wall surveyor) ground floor cavity wall and then first floor brick no cavity. The bedroom with the issue is that part of an 80s extension which was built on the side (essentially to make the house “double fronted”, and I think (though am not 100%) that again it was done with a ground floor cavity and (because of the way the first floor “steps in” as with the original 30s but of the house) no cavity on the first floor, so just blockwork and render.
Yes it’s UK
Yes it’s UK
Evoluzione said:
Your heating bill isn't fine, you've got a single skin wall and have nothing to compare it with!
Surveys are not worth the paper they're written on sadly. That was quoted from a thread on here by a fellow professional just the other day and it's very true.
There is enough depth there to get some insulation and cladding on.
Well I can only tell you it’s fine compared to anywhere else I’ve lived of course.Surveys are not worth the paper they're written on sadly. That was quoted from a thread on here by a fellow professional just the other day and it's very true.
There is enough depth there to get some insulation and cladding on.
I absolutely agree on surveys.
What do you mean when you say enough depth there?
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