Hello people,
Sorry that my first messge is a question but I read almost every damp post on here yesterday to try and get an answer to my problem but couldn't get any clarity. There also seems to be some very knowledgable folk on here.
I've drawn a plan of the ground floor of my house and put it here to help
Some background:
Moved in feb 07, living room painted may/jun 07, absolutely no probs noticed since moving in.
Northeast england.
Front Southfacing.
1850's end terrace stone built cottage, extended front and rear about 1994, also stone. Extension marked in red outine has damp course but only one brick course above ground level.
My neighbour and I *think* that the party wall is stone also and about 18" thick. Neighbouring property ground floor is about 5' higher than us with used basement below, I don't know of tanking/damp protection from his side.
The old external rear wall is now internal and left as bare stone (it looks lovely).
Land is raised to the rear and right side of house shown in diagram.
During purchase the structural surveyor noted rising damp on party wall according to meter but no visible sign or history. "Speaciallist" company was consulted used meter and surprise surprise reccomended a chemical DPC/replaster for £900.
The specialist also commented that damp could be measured because of the basement at same level next door. With this in mind and to speed up exchange we knocked the cost off purchase price.
On tuesday evening we noticed a "tidemark" about 2 foot high althought not horizontal, more wavey, on the pink marked areas of wall. the wall felt damp but not soaking and concrete floor was bone dry below the carpet/underlay. Now we were moving furniture on Saturday and I was in the fireplace on Monday and there was definatley no marks then. Could rising damp move that quick??
I've checked with neighbour and he reports no problems on his side. He's checked pipework and lifted carperts in basment. I've checked for leaks from the above bathroom/waste pipes and can't see any. I've inspected the roof with binoculors and and can't see any obvious probs ( the roof is about 10yrs old too). Since discovery the GCH heating has been on with uPVC DG windows opened on lock, and the tide has remained (never got higher) but the feel of damp is receeding.
Here's my theory, please feel free to agree or rubbish...
The narrow path about 3' at the rear of the extension to left of raised area has no current clear drianage channel (drains are the external black dots). During the recent very heavy rains the water level rose above the DPM before it could clear. This entered the building along the dining room party wall but not noticed because of plasterboard stud wall then noticed on plastered walls in living room.
If this is right would a solution be french drain or lower path and slope it away from the biuld and give a clear channel to the external drains?
Sorry it's so long but hopefully I've covered everything.
Thanks for reading
Joe
Sorry that my first messge is a question but I read almost every damp post on here yesterday to try and get an answer to my problem but couldn't get any clarity. There also seems to be some very knowledgable folk on here.
I've drawn a plan of the ground floor of my house and put it here to help
Some background:
Moved in feb 07, living room painted may/jun 07, absolutely no probs noticed since moving in.
Northeast england.
Front Southfacing.
1850's end terrace stone built cottage, extended front and rear about 1994, also stone. Extension marked in red outine has damp course but only one brick course above ground level.
My neighbour and I *think* that the party wall is stone also and about 18" thick. Neighbouring property ground floor is about 5' higher than us with used basement below, I don't know of tanking/damp protection from his side.
The old external rear wall is now internal and left as bare stone (it looks lovely).
Land is raised to the rear and right side of house shown in diagram.
During purchase the structural surveyor noted rising damp on party wall according to meter but no visible sign or history. "Speaciallist" company was consulted used meter and surprise surprise reccomended a chemical DPC/replaster for £900.
The specialist also commented that damp could be measured because of the basement at same level next door. With this in mind and to speed up exchange we knocked the cost off purchase price.
On tuesday evening we noticed a "tidemark" about 2 foot high althought not horizontal, more wavey, on the pink marked areas of wall. the wall felt damp but not soaking and concrete floor was bone dry below the carpet/underlay. Now we were moving furniture on Saturday and I was in the fireplace on Monday and there was definatley no marks then. Could rising damp move that quick??
I've checked with neighbour and he reports no problems on his side. He's checked pipework and lifted carperts in basment. I've checked for leaks from the above bathroom/waste pipes and can't see any. I've inspected the roof with binoculors and and can't see any obvious probs ( the roof is about 10yrs old too). Since discovery the GCH heating has been on with uPVC DG windows opened on lock, and the tide has remained (never got higher) but the feel of damp is receeding.
Here's my theory, please feel free to agree or rubbish...
The narrow path about 3' at the rear of the extension to left of raised area has no current clear drianage channel (drains are the external black dots). During the recent very heavy rains the water level rose above the DPM before it could clear. This entered the building along the dining room party wall but not noticed because of plasterboard stud wall then noticed on plastered walls in living room.
If this is right would a solution be french drain or lower path and slope it away from the biuld and give a clear channel to the external drains?
Sorry it's so long but hopefully I've covered everything.
Thanks for reading
Joe
