Damp walls - what do I inject walls with?

[sliktor]

I have 3 damp walls.
One in my daughters bedroom. This is coming from around the chimney and I have asked my roofer to remove the chimney or renovate the leaking zinc flashing.
The wall in the toilet is damp due to ingress of water from the rotten sill. I have arranged to replace sill and window.
the wall in the utility room is a little damp.

if I remove the plaster from these areas what should I inject the wall with before re-plastering and painting.
Would a kind person please help.
Thanks

 

[ajrobb]

You haven't said how old the house is or if the walls have a cavity.

Consider http://www.heritage-house.org/damp.html

If the walls are solid, they can take months to dry out after the problems are fixed. If the property is old, you might get a longer-term solution by copying the original lime plaster but that also takes ages to dry and harden.

I'm interested in the answers though, as I have an 1825 brick/flint wall. It has probably been replastered as the soft plaster I am flicking off is brown and probably gypsum based. I could be wrong though as a huge lump of brown plaster also came away with the wall paper and that was on an internal lathe-and-plaster wall. On the other hand, the plaster on the spine wall is white.

 

[1john]

More info on the chimney required, is it dissused, is it ventilated ect ect.

With the new cill in the toilet replaced then you will have cured the problem

Why is your utility wall damp? Do you have alot of condensation or a small leak anywhere on some pipework?

Injecting stuff is all well and good but the majority of damp problems only require some maintainance to solve and infact the injection fluids would seemingly not solve any of your problems, especially the cill one.

Get investigating and start saving cash too

 

[sliktor]

You haven't said how old the house is or if the walls have a cavity.

Consider http://www.heritage-house.org/damp.html

If the walls are solid, they can take months to dry out after the problems are fixed. If the property is old, you might get a longer-term solution by copying the original lime plaster but that also takes ages to dry and harden.

I'm interested in the answers though, as I have an 1825 brick/flint wall. It has probably been replastered as the soft plaster I am flicking off is brown and probably gypsum based. I could be wrong though as a huge lump of brown plaster also came away with the wall paper and that was on an internal lathe-and-plaster wall. On the other hand, the plaster on the spine wall is white.

Thanks for your reply
House was built 1934. Disused chimney,but vent in the bedroom.
Surveyor says take chimney down or replace zinc flashing.
Walls are 9inch brick.No cavity.

 

[sliktor]

More info on the chimney required, is it dissused, is it ventilated ect ect.

With the new cill in the toilet replaced then you will have cured the problem

Why is your utility wall damp? Do you have alot of condensation or a small leak anywhere on some pipework?

Injecting stuff is all well and good but the majority of damp problems only require some maintainance to solve and infact the injection fluids would seemingly not solve any of your problems, especially the cill one.

Get investigating and start saving cash too

Thanks.

Disused chimney 1934 house. Solid brick construction. Well ventilated with vent in the bedroom on skirting, always open.

Your right about the sill in the toilet, but I feel I should replace the damp plaster at least, even if I do not inject.

The utility room is at a lower level by some 2 foot compared to the kitchen and possibly below the damp course. My damp meter shows only minimal damp. No high pithed squeak!

 

[1john]

Your damp meter, does it have a digital read out or just make a noise? Moisture is present in most buildings as it is in the air and we breathe it out too.

You seem to have water getting in your chimney so that needs to be stopped.

If your utility is buried beneath the ground then tanking may be required although specifics of how it is situated may help further guess work as to what the problem may be .

Once you have cured the ingress of moisture you should allow the walls to dry out and see where you are, drying times are about 1 month per inch of thickness, so a 9 inch wall should take 9 months to dry out. You may find that you dont need to start hacking off the walls.