Rotten skirting

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by RICKY HUMPHRIES, Feb 16, 2019.

  1. RICKY HUMPHRIES

    RICKY HUMPHRIES New Member

    Hi all. First post here. Sorry to be asking for advice so early.

    Basically bought new house. Built early 1900

    We have rotten skirting on an internal wall (ive added a pic)

    When we moved in a part of the top had deteriorated/rotted.

    We got the room re plastered thats when we noticed it.

    There are no pipes on the opposite side of the wall? Nor under the floor so im unsure of how the skirting has got, and is still damp. Please not. All joists and floor boards are bone dry. Looking at the pic of the skirting. The top is against the wall on the right. The bottom appears drier. There is also parts where the wood has rotted but has since dried

    There are what appears to be slots in the wall. Dont know if this is where the wall is starting to perish due to damp/rot or if its vents in the wall ?

    Any help massively appreciated.

    Rick 1550305574830819.jpg 1550305574664358.jpg 1550305575139516.jpg 1550305574996269.jpg
     
  2. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    Slots are where wood sat then skirting was fixed to but now rotted away.. First thing is go look at drains. Any cracks that water can get through as thats a big problem for many. Water then runs under house. Also any gully around bay windows ect. Basically any water needs to go down drain and away or will run under the house. If all good then you have damp but I think that's more water under the house from poorly maintained drains... Maybe.. Pay a man to come look if you can find the problem but I see this all the time. I bodge up drains with plastic and mastic but customers don't seem to worry about it. No gaps. No cracks. No liner on you arm and clean out twice a year
     
  3. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Slots would have had a wooden wedges driven for the cut nails to secure skirting in place.

    That green wall, was skirting on other side of that wall.

    As I've said before,water can take some very strange routes getting from A to B.
     
  4. RICKY HUMPHRIES

    RICKY HUMPHRIES New Member

    Sorry should have said i took that picture of the skirting out side in the garden.

    Ive had floor boards up. Under the floor boards the joists and wall seem to be builting on just what seems to be rocks.

    It is all dry under there though.

    This wall is literally bang in the middle of the house. Not near external walls or partitioning wall to next door. Its below the stair case
     
  5. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    OK.. Well if it seems dry under you have rising damp.. Get a guy in to sort.. Get a report which will cost as not free and decide what to do from there..
     
  6. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Make sure you have good through ventilation front to back under the floor,check air bricks are clear of crud.
     
  7. RICKY HUMPHRIES

    RICKY HUMPHRIES New Member

    The back of the house is solid concrete floor. The front has two air bricks. On the bay window.

    Flooring is just floor boards. No carpet etc. Would this be adequate ventilation ?
     
  8. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    When concrete floor was laid, they should have pipes in floor to continue ventilation to the outside,so you have through ventilation.
    Lack of ventilation can cause damp, & rot,so important having a good air flow under a suspended floor gets rid of any damp air & keeps everything dry.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2019
  9. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    I done one where damp guy mentioned more ventilation ect as thats what the problem was.. Also mentioned cooking and drying washing in house . Rubbish. Bxxxxshxxxx... Drain front and back was in a shocking state and when I pushed wire through crank in drain gully there was huge void then liquid clay where water had eroded ground away. I told them to go chace the guy up.. I don't think ventilation is the problem as you wound see mould and smell it.. That's rising damp.. Imo.. It's not rising to high so you must have had walls injected?
     
  10. RICKY HUMPHRIES

    RICKY HUMPHRIES New Member

    Walls are not injected. However ive just pull the floor up at the bay windows where the air bricks sre snd they have been blocked with expanding foam !
     

    Attached Files:

  11. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    :eek::(

    Remove it.

    Get some air under your floor & you should see some improvement with any damp, but a through air flow is best.
     
    Joe the Plumber likes this.
  12. RICKY HUMPHRIES

    RICKY HUMPHRIES New Member

    Ripped it all out. Guess the only reason is because they wanted to stop a draught maybe ? So many things weve found bodged in this house since moved in.

    Really hoping this is the cause.

    The affected wall is furthest most from the air bricks so has a relative amount of chance right ?
     
    mcooper2406 and KIAB like this.
  13. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    Won't half blow through that floor though..
     
  14. gas monkey

    gas monkey Well-Known Member

    hello see if the incoming water pipe is lead and leaking in that area

    had this and everthing was bone dry until weee found were the leak was
     
    Not very good at diy likes this.
  15. Joe the Plumber

    Joe the Plumber Screwfix Select

    Injected 'damp proof courses' are snake oil flogged from covered wagons by cowboys. Locate and eliminate the source of the water
    and the damp will magically disappear.

    Have a read here:

    http://www.askjeff.co.uk/
     
    Not very good at diy and KIAB like this.
  16. glob@l

    glob@l Active Member

    Your example shows the airflow would perhaps be (a bit) hampered by the black ends on the white pipe, however I presume there would be sufficient airflow to keep the suspended floor ventilated. Is it your own job?
     
  17. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member


    Certianly not.:eek:

    Definitely wouldn't have telescopic underfloor vent on back end,would prefer to take pipe straight through wall, if possible.

    Having stone walls in a old house,it's important they can breath.
     
  18. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member


    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Spot on.
     
  19. glob@l

    glob@l Active Member

    Yeh, better straight through but it seems that isn't be possible on the image.
     
  20. RICKY HUMPHRIES

    RICKY HUMPHRIES New Member

    what do you mean ?
     

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