Damp ? Whats happing to this house?

[peterperfection]

Peter, can I congratulate you for being the first person to talk such commonsense advice about damp. I believe that many modern building regs (mainly green issues) cause major harm to both buildings and health.

Thanks Maltaron,
And there I was thinking only I was the only soldier walking out of step !!.
It really IS all down to common sense-- as you know .

Lots of the people 'selling' the dpc 'cure' are nothing but 'chancers'.

Same as 18 year old boy soldier insulation experts who frequent the close I live in- armed with K47 black and deckers- (wanting to drill into certain peoples walls with a 9'' drill bit) -where the houses have timber frame construction- and have not the slightest clue that they will penetrate the membrane !!.
And all in the cause of GOVERNMENT GRANTS = EASY MONEY.

Regards,
Pete

 

[ibby]

Yes- that sort of cowl will be ok.
Regarding cleaning the gable wall cavity-- start at one end approx 3 bricks in from corner-and remove 2 bricks (the level on top of the DPC). Then move along 4 bricks and remove another 2 and continue doing that. Dont worry- the house will not fall down !!.
The spaces you have created will give you enough room to get your hand in as well as a stick or something to poke about with-with which you can drag the rubbish out.
Make sure you remove all the rubbish you can- especially below the DPC level--that's important.

Here are a few tips .
1/ Your mortar will probably be lime mortar- and so will be very soft and easy to remove. Buy yourself a masonry saw with tungsten teeth (aboput £15-£20).
Remove the mortar from the dpc level first and then just use a bolster chisel to loosen the brick from the mortar course above. Dont forget to clean the bricks.

If you want to do a real 'belt and braces job'- when you replace the bricks-- you could buy some new engineering bricks (instead of putting back the old knackered bricks).
And then a few weeks later- you could remove the bricks you left in and replace those too.
Using the same proceedure- going a step further-- you could also install a new DPC plastic membrane-at the same time by removing a extra brick (thats 3 bricks at a time) and when you replace the bricks- only replacing 2 bricks and leaving 4'' of membrane at each side of the hole- and then overlapping with more dpc when you replace bricks either side .

It's hard to explain- sorry,-- but easy to understand if you think about it .

ps- get hold of some old slate- to prop up the bricks when you replace them

I understand what your saying, but how do I know where DPC is ?

 

[peterperfection]

DPC should be approx 2 bricks higher than the outside ground. Unles some numpty didycoy/gypsiey or any other tarmac specialist has raised the outside floor level higher with a great big lump of the 'black stuff'.(tarmac).
150mm is the norm above ground level to dpc.
If you prod at the brick mortar course-at the level I mentioned- you will see some deteriorated old Bitumen dpc.
It will be black and crumbling-.
Sorry Ibby- have to go now--need some sleep. busy day tomorrow .
I will reply and try to help you Bud-so -dont worry- everything is easily sorted.