Another damp issue

[ChrisJLW]

Hi, we have a slight damp issue on the gable end wall of our house. I think the issue is one of the air bricks as part of it is below the gravel of the drive (pictured)

Would it be best to remove the airbrick and add a brick at the bottom with a thinner airbrick above?

Thoughts welcome.

 

[ChrisJLW]

Inside & another outside pic.

 

[JohnD]

Please examine the wall near the ground until you find the original DPC. It will be at least two bricks above where ground level used to be when the house was built. I think I can see it in one of your photos, unless that is a wire. Are any parts of it covered?

You may need to scrape away the shingle or dig beside the wall to find it.

Also scrape or dig to find any wet patches. Are they near pipes or drains?

It is quite common to find builders, gardeners and homeowners who raise the ground or paving, causing damp.

The airbrick should certainly be above ground level.

It is not the airbrick that is wrong, it is the ground level.

(Edited)

Please stand back and take some wider pics of the entire wall, all the way up to the roof and gutter, and all the way down to the ground and drains, including all downpipes, overflows and plumbing.

Especially both sides of the corner, which looks very wet.

Under no circumstances allow anybody who sells silicone injections near your house.

 

[Ollyfp]

John's on it. Yep, the airbrick can be above or below the DPC, but it needs to be well above the finished ground surface in order to avoid water flooding the cavity.

NHBC: 'Ideally air bricks should be located at least 75 mm above hard and soft landscaped areas to reduce the risk of being obstructed or flooded'

Your pet slug is heading back to his pad for the day. He's certainly not complaining about the damp! Lol

 

[ChrisJLW]

Thanks John. The DPC is 2 bricks above the ground at that end of the house, it continues at the same height all round the extension. There are no drains or guttering to worry about. I don't think the drive has been purposely built up, but it's at the bottom of a slope so there may have been some build-up of soil etc.

The airbrick is ducted through to the old part of the house. I do wonder how necessary it is as there are two on the rear.

Heavy rain does result in puddles next to that wall and it gets hit by the wind & rain.

I've not heard of silicone injection, but it sounds on par with spray foam insulation.

 

[ChrisJLW]

Cheers Olly, looks like I might have some digging to do.

 

[Ollyfp]

Your pet slug is heading back to his pad for the day

Apologies if I've misgendered the slug btw. Can't be too careful these days. Lol

 

[ChrisJLW]

Apologies if I've misgendered the slug btw. Can't be too careful these days. Lol

Lol Don't apologise to me. You might need to apologise to the slug though, but I'm not sure how you can tell if a slug is offended.

 

[Ollyfp]

Lol Don't apologise to me. You might need to apologise to the slug though, but I'm not sure how you can tell if a slug is offended.

Lol. Funny start to the day.