[1 AKY]

Hi All

I live in a circa 1900 build mi-terrace and my rear reception room has 2 exposed walls. The rear wall seems fine, but the side wall has a damp problem. The exterior of the walls have been rendered many years ago (which I'm thinking of getting re-done) and have some air bricks (over which I put some wire mesh to prevent mice from getting in) right at the bottom of the wall (below the DPC I think) which I presume are there to allow air circulation underneath the floorboards and between the joists.

There's also evidence (drill holes & plugs) of previous DPC treatment,so I dont know whether it is that that has failed or whether the cause is something else.

Anyone any thoughts? Recommend any DPC companies that any of you might have used?

BTW - I'm based in Ilford, Essex.

Regards - Aky

[Em135eye]

Can't help with companies but where is the damp most concentrated? How bad is it?

Older walls often need to breathe too - many render with non breathable plaster and so the wall gets damp. Usually older houses but I wince every time I see a cottage/old house with the wrong rendering and/or paint.

Full damp courses are big bucks - a mate spent £3k on his recently for one wall. Ouch.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by 1 AKY

Hi All

I live in a circa 1900 build mi-terrace and my rear reception room has 2 exposed walls. The rear wall seems fine, but the side wall has a damp problem. The exterior of the walls have been rendered many years ago (which I'm thinking of getting re-done) and have some air bricks (over which I put some wire mesh to prevent mice from getting in) right at the bottom of the wall (below the DPC I think) which I presume are there to allow air circulation underneath the floorboards and between the joists.

There's also evidence (drill holes & plugs) of previous DPC treatment,so I dont know whether it is that that has failed or whether the cause is something else.

Anyone any thoughts? Recommend any DPC companies that any of you might have used?

BTW - I'm based in Ilford, Essex.

Regards - Aky

You say that only 1 of the external walls (side wall) is suffering from the problem, which seems unusual if it is rising/penetrating damp.

What material is the DPC made of?

Is the DPC being breached by an external path or similar down the side of the affected wall.
The grd level should be a min of 6" below the DPC, if that is not the case you need to reduce the grd level

You also need to establish whether the damp is rising/penetrating damp and not condensation.
Your description sounds just like condensation given the age of the property and location of the damp.

The problem with a lot of companies that specialise in DPC's is that they will 'identify' condensation as rising damp for obvious reasons, hack off all the internal plasterwork to a ht of a metre inject a silicone DPC (which is notoriously hit/miss), replaster internally with a waterproof render (to ensure the expensive DPC works!) and leave with your cash.

The newly plastered wall will take 'ages' to dry, 6 mths as a minimum and therefore it will be quite some time before you realise that the problem was condensation all along!

[1 AKY]

Hi 33diesel & Hotcoupe - thanks for your thoughts....and I was thinking the same thing.

I've no idea what the existing DPC is made off (already there when I bought the house. The ground level outside is at least 6" below the existing DPC drill holes and the Mrs does use the rear reception to dry/air clothes on a clothes horse (even though the ventilation is usually left slightly open on most occasions).

I'm thinking of getting the interior completely replastered anyway......so shall give that a go first before spending my hard-earned money on new DPC treatment.

Any advice on what I should use on:
a) the interior replaster; and
b) the exterior of wall which I'm planning on hacking off the old render and getting it re-done.

Thanks again - Aky

[NFS]

Originally Posted by 1 AKY

Any advice on what I should use on:
a) the interior replaster; and
b) the exterior of wall which I'm planning on hacking off the old render and getting it re-done.

Thanks again - Aky

Before you go much further buy a cheap damp meter from B&Q to try to identify the nature of the damp. If it's throughout the bottom third of the wall it's likely to be rising damp, by the sound of it linked to a failed or defective chemical damp proof course.

However, I have a hunch that it may be in the central part of the wall. I suspect failed / cracked render may be allowing water to saturate the wall, which given the age of the house will be solid brick.

Don't spend money rendering or replastering till you've worked out whats going on.

[Yorke Builders]

I might be able to help with this https://yorkebuilders.com/