Dark/wet patch external wall.

[Will Ashton]

Hi all,

Don't suppose anybody could help please...

We moved into a property at the start of the month, it's currently around 18 months old. We have noticed on the rear of the property (behind the kitchen wall) that there is a circle patch of bricks that looks wet/darker than the rest. There is a sink/dishwasher on that wall but this patch does come and go and we have also made sure we have not run any water for a full day before, and it has still appeared.

We have checked all under the kitchen plinths and there is absolutely no water anywhere, stains or any damage to the walls either... it doesn't feel wet to touch and we feel if there was a leak then surely this would be in place all the time or even get bigger?

The previous owners did have a circular hose pipe hung there (see rawl plugs) if that could be anything to do with it??

We are not sure if maybe the hose pipe could have wet the bricks or maybe stopped them weathering and this will eventually go, we are really unsure and it seems a mystery.

If the patch was there 24/7 then we would think it was a leak, but it isn't. It does dry, and then does re appear and then also comes back again...

Also - no leaking guttering and the window sill drips much further away than the bricks.

Would appreciate any thoughts please? Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

There is a severe leak. It is probably at about the high point of the wet patch. A pipe is the likely cause. You can also see efflorescence at the foot of the wall so it is probably dripping into the cavity or possibly the floor. If you can't see it from the outside, you will have to remove the kitchen units.

They are probably damaged by damp already.

I hope you haven't got an engineered wood floor or similar .

 

[Will Ashton]

Hi John,

Thanks for the response.

The highest point is around 600mm from ground level so this is halfway up the base unit, were it is bone dry. The floor is also totally dry all under this (in the kitchen) I have attached an image showing how dry it is under there.

Also, this patch disappears and isn't there at times throughout the day? This is why we are so confused... if it was a leak it would be consistent and wouldn't stop and would surely be inside the property as well?

Thanks,

Will.

 

[JohnD]

Have you looked behind the units at the top of the damp patch?

 

[Will Ashton]

Yes, and it is like the floor... dry, which is why it is even more of a mystery.

 

[kp00110]

Must be a buried pipe in the wall behind the plaster then if you have defintely checked behind the cabinets for any surface mounted pipes. Maybe at some point punctured by a drill etc? and now leaks when under load/flow? I had a leaky radiator valve that only ever leaked when the rads were on. When not on, it would not leak and self seal for some reason. Maybe it only appears when using the washing machine/sink etc? Do you have 100% understanding of where all the pipes are so you can be sure? Your photos only show waste pipes I believe

 

[kp00110]

it is a bit suspocious the leak is exactly where the rawl plug drill hole is? I would want to check where all your pipes are - i.e. sink, washing machine, outdoor tap, incoming water supply etc

 

[Loofah]

Can you pull out the dishwasher to get a look behind it? Puntured pipe from that rawl plug hole seems a good bet, how do you feel about removing bricks?!

 

[Will Ashton]

Hi Guys,

Attached a photo of the plumbing pipes under the sink. For reference, the water feed come from the ground up (plasterboard side)

We moved in on the 9th December and noticed the circle patch straight away, we've never had the dishwasher on and we have done days of running no water for 12 hours and it has still appeared.

We have also checked the outside water meter when no water has been run to see if this is ticking with a leak (and using water), again, this hasn't moved once.

I did think the rawl plug but then surely the rawl plug is no way near the length of the brick, I doubt it would even go through the brick depth?

Appreciate all the help and all comments are helping! it's driving me mad...

 

[Wayners]

You can buy camera starting at £10 that will plug in smart phone.
Drill hole and look.

Cavity camera or similar

 

[Will Ashton]

Cheers Wayners, I'll take a look!

 

[Will Ashton]

Do we all not think a hose pipe reel being hung in that exact spot for the last year could have anything to do with it?

I'm just hoping that this could maybe have wet the wall over the last year, or even discolored it slightly with the bricks only just being laid (was only built 18 months ago) and maybe with the hot weather to come it could now change for the better with the wall now not having a hosepipe reel on it?

Wishful thinking I know, it's just that's what was hung there before...

 

[Wayners]

Should of dried if from hose pipe?
Maybe.
Time will tell. If not get a camera

 

[jeds]

Doesn't look like a leak to me. If it was an internal leak, how would it cross the cavity and how would it form such a distinct shape on the external leaf? I just don't see it.

The distinct shape is the clue. Distinctly shaped exactly like a hose reel. My money is on the bricks being differently weathered to the surrounding bricks, having been protected from the elements by the hose reel, which was probably fitted when the bricks were still very new. I admit, it looks odd, and I have no definite explanation for why differently weathered bricks would cause a patch to occasionally appear like that, but that's my thoughts on it.

 

[Ihavenojob]

If the property is only 18 months old, would the NHBC warranty be of any use? That is if they still have them.