Damp Issues

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by JimmyP_69, Apr 30, 2016.

  1. KBJ

    KBJ Active Member

    You don't mention what age the house is. I see a lot of problems like this in pre-WW2 houses. The construction was lime and low-fired porous bricks back in those days. It certainly looks like the characteristic 'lumpy porridge' render much in vogue in the 30s. Any moisture making its way into the wall would evaporate naturally from the outside surface. But if that is covered with a waterproof coating, as yours is, the water has nowhere to go but down through the walls, (which are water permeable). It often can't evaporate from the inside either because of the use of Gypsum plaster. If the house is, as I suspect, pre-WW2, damp-proofing may mask the issue, but it is unlikely to rectify it. A lot of the problems with damp in these houses come from inside the house. improving ventilation will help, but for a permanent fix, you really need to strip off the waterproof coating on the outside and replace it with something 'breathable'. The render, as I have said, looks like lime, and unless it it crumbling, you probably don't want to replace it unless you have to (or if it is just too ugly to tolerate!). I have used the Anglia Lime (http://www.anglialime.com) kit to strip off the paint and restore the permeability of the wall and it works very well, but the chemicals are fairly 'unfriendly', so you might want to take their advice on builders experienced with them in your area. Fixing the issue will not be particularly cheap, but not wasting your money on damp-proofing will help with the budget. If the house is from the 30s, I would also get someone to check your door and window lintels as these were usually wooden and can suffer badly if there is constant moisture in the walls.
     
    Jitender likes this.

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