Damp - Weep vents

[Wilmslowboy]

We have some flaky paint and signs of damp in our hall way (just above the front door and front window).

I’m trying to track down the cause, and the most obvious source seems to be some gaps in the brickwork, there are 4 of them, roughly 150 cm apart, just above door level. In certain conditions, rain can lash against this face of the house, so it’s quite possible that water is getting in.

Should there be some kind of plastic vent inside the holes (each gap is very deep and has nothing inside) this part of the house was built about 20 years ago.

[M1AGM]

I’d say so, some of these and mortar required.

Pack of 50 Timloc InvisiWeep Terracotta Red Tunnel Low Profile External Cavity Wall Weep Vents

https://amzn.eu/d/4lyO0fG

[TA14]

That's fancy. If the cavity tray is in good condition (or even if it's fitted at all) there shouldn't be a need for anything else. Probably worth a look with an endoscope.

[Lotobear]

If those weeps are working in 99% of cases I'd expect to see lime run staining beneath them.

I wonder if they missed the cavity tray?

[Chumley.mouse]

Block them all up with some silicone and see if the damp gets any better or worse ? If it cures it then water is getting in through them , if it doesn’t then you have at least ruled that out .

[blueg33]

Lotobear said:

If those weeps are working in 99% of cases I'd expect to see lime run staining beneath them.

I wonder if they missed the cavity tray?

That normally impacts the inner leaf rather than the external leaf - had to have a who stone gable end rebuilt as a result of missing cavity trays. Moisture is supposed to run down the outer leaf.

[C Lee Farquar]

blueg33 said:

Lotobear said:

If those weeps are working in 99% of cases I'd expect to see lime run staining beneath them.

I wonder if they missed the cavity tray?

That normally impacts the inner leaf rather than the external leaf - had to have a who stone gable end rebuilt as a result of missing cavity trays. Moisture is supposed to run down the outer leaf.

I read the OP as having internal damp issues, inner leaf. There is no sign of any water draining from the weep hole despite there being significant moisture internally to the same area, suggesting a cavity tray issue.

[Lotobear]

C Lee Farquar said:

blueg33 said:

Lotobear said:

If those weeps are working in 99% of cases I'd expect to see lime run staining beneath them.

I wonder if they missed the cavity tray?

That normally impacts the inner leaf rather than the external leaf - had to have a who stone gable end rebuilt as a result of missing cavity trays. Moisture is supposed to run down the outer leaf.

I read the OP as having internal damp issues, inner leaf. There is no sign of any water draining from the weep hole despite there being significant moisture internally to the same area, suggesting a cavity tray issue.

+1

[Wilmslowboy]

Yes damp inside face (flaky paint, doesn't feel wet, but cold)
Ordered an endiscope, hopefully it fits into the existing holes.

Will post up photos.

[Baldchap]

Can't comment on the damp, but you want a vent in there to stop living things getting in.

[Macneil]

What's the cracked vertical joint below the brickwork?

[jules_s]

Needs a wider picture/more context tbh

First impression is the weepvents are too high, or the detailing is somewhat unusual/unorthodox

It 'might' be there is no tray and the Lintol top forms the tray - add to that a couple of dirty ties...

I'm speculating mind you

[TA14]

jules_s said:

Needs a wider picture/more context tbh

First impression is the weepvents are too high, or the detailing is somewhat unusual/unorthodox

It 'might' be there is no tray and the Lintol top forms the tray - add to that a couple of dirty ties...

I'm speculating mind you

If we take it that the architectural stone is sitting on the lintol then the vents couldn't be any lower.

[jules_s]

TA14 said:

If we take it that the architectural stone is sitting on the lintol then the vents couldn't be any lower.

You'd think so....but there's a perp there - hence the comment of mine about a wider picture required

[TA14]

jules_s said:

TA14 said:

If we take it that the architectural stone is sitting on the lintol then the vents couldn't be any lower.

You'd think so....but there's a perp there - hence the comment of mine about a wider picture required

That's the way that architecturl stone is installed these days. From an engineering POV it doesn't work in the traditional sense but combined with a Catnic type lintol it's the compression part of the beam and works fine (even if visually... )

[jules_s]

TA14 said:

That's the way that architecturl stone is installed these days. From an engineering POV it doesn't work in the traditional sense but combined with a Catnic type lintol it's the compression part of the beam and works fine (even if visually... )

OK - Not used ashlar for a while -any reasons why the vents aren't in the ashlar perps then? weeps are still too high imo

OP scenario is 20 years old mind you iirc...

[jules_s]

TA14 said:

That's the way that architecturl stone is installed these days. From an engineering POV it doesn't work in the traditional sense but combined with a Catnic type lintol it's the compression part of the beam and works fine (even if visually... )

OK - Not used ashlar for a while -any reasons why the vents aren't in the ashlar perps then? weeps are still too high imo

OP scenario is 20 years old mind you iirc...

[TA14]

jules_s said:

TA14 said:

That's the way that architecturl stone is installed these days. From an engineering POV it doesn't work in the traditional sense but combined with a Catnic type lintol it's the compression part of the beam and works fine (even if visually... )

OK - Not used ashlar for a while -any reasons why the vents aren't in the ashlar perps then? weeps are still too high imo

OP scenario is 20 years old mind you iirc...

Not so sure that I'd call arch stone ashlar. If the vents were in that layer then it wouldn't be able to act as the compression zone of the beam.

[jules_s]

Why I said it was 'unusual' is that this is the only double tray detail I've seen.

https://assets.ctfassets.net/eta2vegx3yuv/2Mi4I5FT...

And I've not seen it anywhere but online, as it's a solid lintol detail as far as im aware

[Wilmslowboy]

Wider photo.