Damp???

[CIW115]

Hi, I am in the process of trying to sell a barn conversion. The building was converted about 6 years ago. I have just noticed that there is a crack formed between the skirting and the external wall in one of the rooms downstairs. This reminded me of the skirting around our bathroom when we had a leak a few years back.... The external wall is very damp close to ground level with moss growing on it, this seems to extend up to the level of what I suspect may be the damp proof membrane??? (some sort of membrane visible within the mortar). There are no other signs of damp inside and not all of the skirting is affected. Are we likely to have a problem and if so what should we do about it?

Thanks for any help!!

 

[^woody^]

I'm not sure how you can associate a gap between skirting and wall with damp, and also how you can suspect internal damp without any err.... damp?

 

[CIW115]

Well, when we had a leak in the bathroom exactly the same thing happened to the skirting in the hall without any obvious signs of damp penetrating through - I am concerned that it may not have got that far yet? Would you consider it normal to have moss growing on the outside of the house because the bricks are really wet? If so that is fantastic news......

 

[^woody^]

Moss will grow in any shaded spot.

It will also grow on many building materials

It will also grow above or below any DPC because the DPC retains water above and below it. Or it will just grow at the bottom of walls which are naturally damp.