Damp but not motorhome

[andromeda]

Totally not motorhome related so apologies.
Hi you lovely helpful lot.
Had previous advice re painting outside brcks with Johnsons water repellent. So off I trot out and buy relevant stuff only to be told by an architect that it will stop bricks breathing. Now I always thought percieved wisdom was that you didn't clad internal potentially damp walls for that reason, not external. I have a small back one level lobby and loo with no damp course and there is no way money will stretch to put one in. The injected walls were overwhelmed by the floods in 2007.
Are there any builders on here that could help an old bat out with some advice. Google gives conflicting advice.
Thanks for reading.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

We have single skin 20 inch thick stone walls built directly onto the earth, no DPC, and we also have dampness to a lesser degree now that we have sorted out an errant rain water drain. at some point, it was very well pointed outside with cement mortar instead of lime mortar, which is partially stopping the walls breathing.

Also at some point some damp proof company plastered the lower 500mm of all the internal walls with modern plaster which we have had to have re-done with lime plaster which did help but not a total cure, slowly it is drying out, very slowly.

We have a single skin porch at the back od the house, north facing that is only about 8 inches thick and this is the worst part of the house and has to be cleaned and painted twice a year.

 

[trevskoda]

The real solution is sell up and move to be honest, bungalows are best when we get older as every thing is on one floor and easy to heat.
That said money is not easy to find these days, but dont save it as our gov will have it off you in the end.

 

[Okta]

Damp penetration and rising damp are separate problems with different solutions. You might have both. How high up the wall is the damp showing?

 

[andromeda]

Damp penetration and rising damp are separate problems with different solutions. You might have both. How high up the wall is the damp showing?

About a third. Although there is some sign that the lobby and the internal wall of the loo are drying out.

 

[andromeda]

The real solution is sell up and move to be honest, bungalows are best when we get older as every thing is on one floor and easy to heat.
That said money is not easy to find these days, but dont save it as our gov will have it off you in the end.

Noo will never live in a bungalow. Thanks anyway

 

[Okta]

About a third. Although there is some sign that the lobby and the internal wall of the loo are drying out.

That could well be rising damp because of the missing damp proof course. Rising damp usually rises to about 1.2 metres but can go as far as 1.5 metres. If it was penetrating damp it would be more likely to show as patches of damp where the rain hits the outside wall hardest. Sealing the outside wall might have helped if it was water penetration but with rising damp might possibly slow down the drying process and make things worse.

 

[andromeda]

That could well be rising damp because of the missing damp proof course. Rising damp usually rises to about 1.2 metres but can go as far as 1.5 metres. If it was penetrating damp it would be more likely to show as patches of damp where the rain hits the outside wall hardest. Sealing the outside wall might have helped if it was water penetration but with rising damp might possibly slow down the drying process and make things worse.

Thank you

 

[Glynno]

Totally not motorhome related so apologies.
Hi you lovely helpful lot.
Had previous advice re painting outside brcks with Johnsons water repellent. So off I trot out and buy relevant stuff only to be told by an architect that it will stop bricks breathing. Now I always thought percieved wisdom was that you didn't clad internal potentially damp walls for that reason, not external. I have a small back one level lobby and loo with no damp course and there is no way money will stretch to put one in. The injected walls were overwhelmed by the floods in 2007.
Are there any builders on here that could help an old bat out with some advice. Google gives conflicting advice.
Thanks for reading.

Apparently:

The answer is yes and no. Yes, a waterproof treatment is ideal, however a brick and masonry 'sealer' is not a good idea.
Sooo! Chose your treatment wisely. There are products available at Toolstation etc.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

There are experts out there who are NOT out there to sell you products or service, and will only tell you what they think needs to be done but not cheap.

 

[Glynno]

There are experts out there who are NOT out there to sell you products or service, and will only tell you what they think needs to be done but not cheap.

Absolutely. Like the expert that told me it was a stud wall. Damp course injection company. I needed to protest many times that it was brick. It was brick! They came back drilled and injected. I knocked the wall down eventually anyway

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not an expert then was it.

 

[Glynno]

You can only go by the advert at times. That was three engineers from the same company. Keep fingers crossed at all times.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

You can only go by the advert at times. That was three engineers from the same company. Keep fingers crossed at all times.

We have a relative who does damp surveys only and knows his stuff, but some of the cures are mega expensive.

 

[Glynno]

Yes. It seems like Andromeda wants a quick fix and not too expensive. I think good advice would be best and someone to come and assess. He could spend money to no avail or possibly make things worse. Best wishes anyway. It is more complicated than at first meets the eye.

 

[StuartHolmes]

I believe you need people with eyes on the actual thing. That means minimum three different professional companies with good feedback reports to come, inspect, recommend and quote.

Fine to 'compare ideas' but in my opinion far too risky to take random advice from people who are not qualified & have not seen the issue 'in the flesh'.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I'd not let a "damp company" near it; they are there to sell you on their way of curing the problem; and are very convincing, it needs a none involved survey, expect to pay £3-400 for for an inspection and advice only.

 

[Okta]

Many of us have damp meters and this type of problem is what they were designed for. @andromeda if you have one take some readings to establish how wet your wall is and where it is wettest. If not do you have any motorhomers living near you who can lend you one? My initial impression is that it is probably rising damp and there is no point in throwing money and time at damp solutions until you are sure what is causing the problem. Once upon a time we had Council Environmental Health Officers and Building Inspectors who would give us free advice on damp but I fear these days are probably long gone.

 

[andromeda]

Yes. It seems like Andromeda wants a quick fix and not too expensive. I think good advice would be best and someone to come and assess. He could spend money to no avail or possibly make things worse. Best wishes anyway. It is more complicated than at first meets the eye.

I know that if I was the age I was when hubby and I moved in we would be looking at spending out real money rather than a quicker fix. But 27 years on as an old lady with limited means options can become smaller if you want to do anything else. It is a one story bit at the back of the house so luckily hasn't affected, (I hope), the rest of the house. I just don't want it to get worse if I can personally do something to fix it even if partially
Thanks for all the advice folks

 

[Okta]

I know that if I was the age I was when hubby and I moved in we would be looking at spending out real money rather than a quicker fix. But 27 years on as an old lady with limited means options can become smaller if you want to do anything else. It is a one story bit at the back of the house so luckily hasn't affected, (I hope), the rest of the house. I just don't want it to get worse if I can personally do something to fix it even if partially
Thanks for all the advice folks

Which part of the country do you live in @andromeda ?