Damp?

[JohnnyUK]

Hi All

Spotted this today (well to be honest about 5 months ago!).

I've been waiting for some warmer weather to figure out what's going on.

I'm ASSUMING that water is making its way inside between the door frame and the wall?

If so, do I need to re-seal the frame with something?

Thanks in advance!

ETA, the "black" on the external picture of the door frame is actually a shadow - not a sealant.

[wolfracesonic]

It looks like a separate trim piece has been fixed to the door frame and not been siliconed against the brickwork, that needs sorting as you say; use a low modulus silicone, with some masking tape on the trim for a nice clean line.
It also looks like the door opening has been formed after the fact with an angle grinder. If it’s a cavity wall and the cavity was built up without a vertical dpc, that may be causing the problem, not easily solved.
The silicone is definitely the first step though.

[037]

Yes reseal it and see how you go. The door frame has obviously been cut into the brickwork retrospectively so I suspect a vertical DPC hasn't been put in and moisture is bridging the cavity and into the plaster.

[JohnnyUK]

Thanks both, yes, it was windows converted into bifold doors....

Where should the vertical DPC be?

With the silicon, is it literally squeezed in to the gap between the plastic and the brick?

Sorry for the numpty questions - ask me an IT question!

Edited by JohnnyUK on Monday 20th April 19:55

[Winston Wolf]

wolfracesonic said:

It looks like a separate trim piece has been fixed to the door frame and not been siliconed against the brickwork, that needs sorting as you say; use a low modulus silicone, with some masking tape on the trim for a nice clean line.
It also looks like the door opening has been formed after the fact with an angle grinder. If it s a cavity wall and the cavity was built up without a vertical dpc, that may be causing the problem, not easily solved.
The silicone is definitely the first step though.

Neat practice to fit a trim to the frame to hide the mastic/silicone. If you remove that trim you should find the seal. Has the frame been foamed in correctly would be my starting point.

[Winston Wolf]

037 said:

Yes reseal it and see how you go. The door frame has obviously been cut into the brickwork retrospectively so I suspect a vertical DPC hasn't been put in and moisture is bridging the cavity and into the plaster.

Not seen a vertical dpc in many a long year - well not since the cavity closers were brick. You are aware cavity closers are now made of plastic?

[wolfracesonic]

JohnnyUK said:

Thanks both, yes, it was windows converted into bifold doors....

Where should the vertical DPC be?

With the silicon, is it literally squeezed in to the gap between the plastic and the brick?

Sorry for the numpty questions - ask me an IT question!

Edited by JohnnyUK on Monday 20th April 19:55

The vertical dpc detailed below, it stops moisture passing from the outside masonry leaf to the inner one, all it is is a roll of black plastic dpc that you may have seen rolled out along brickwork at ground level as a horizontal dpc; it’s too late to fit one now.


The frame may have been sealed prior to the trim been fitted as said but no way to tell, so ten minutes with a silicone gun (guides on YouTube) will help to rule one possible cause out.
If the problem persists, a masonry cream applied to the bricks will help, though this is a sticking plaster
if a vertical dpc was omitted.

Ok, an IT question, do you think IR35 is a cruel and iniquitous punishment on the hard working members of the IT community?

[21TonyK]

I had a similar problem. In fact, identical. Turns out the drainholes on the inside of the frame were clogged but it was more due to the rubber gasket that runs around the door itself had perished.

Replaced this and the problem has not reappeared for two years.

[OutInTheShed]

Posts above have concentrated on the possibility of water getting past the sides of the frame.

Once you've ruled that out, you may need to consider water going over the top of the frame.
It runs down the back of the bricks and hits the top of the window frame/lintel and things can go wrong here.

Or under the frame...
Or getting between the glass and the frame and the frame drainage being blocked or wrong.

[JohnnyUK]

Thanks everyone!