Can you help with these holes in my house wall?

[AnthonyDIY]

Hi,

I noticed last night a rather large(ish) hole in the exterior rendering of my home, close beside this is a small metal pipe and below it a bit of wood stick fast into something. It's feeling a little like lost...

The mystery:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

A close up of the main hole:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

- This I presume is the rendering on the outside of the building being knocked off at some point? there are black stones inside which some have now been knocked out when I was exploring. I also note cracks emanating outwards from this hole. This hole is ~ 2.5inch by 2 inches.

I would like to fix this - Would a simple mortar compound be sufficient to seal it (water tight) and I will apply the same to the cracks?


In addition there is a small metal pipe to the right of it:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

- The wall behind this is the bathroom, could this be the old waste pipe from an old toilet (the kind held up high on the wall)? Or possibly a drill bit or piping snapped off from when cavity wall was installed years before I bought the house? The pipes size is about half an inch by half an inch.


The third weird item is a bit of wood stuck solidly into the wall:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

- I can think of no reason for it, there is nothing underneath or around it to have hooked onto. I can not remove it I do not think, should I cover it up with mortar to be safe?


I really want to keep the building water tight.

I hope someone can assist. Thanks!

 

[DAZB]

It is indeed the remnants of an old toilet set up with the small lead pipe being the overflow and the chock of timber used as a fixing point for a run of pipes, possibly the soil stack. If you take a wide flat bladed screwdriver and angle it inwards on the lead pipe, using a hammer you can cut it back below the surface all round and then try fold it closed. With the timber, using a chisel try to split it a few times by striking it along the grain. It will then be able to be loosened and pulled out either by hand or mole grips or long nose pliers etc... Once that's done you can patch the holes with mortar and paint.

 

[AnthonyDIY]

Thanks DAZB, I pulled the wood out and it recessed into the wall about 1.5 inch. I then turned my attention to the pipe, I tapped it a few times and it appeared to possibly be lead, it bent very easily, I reopened the hole with a screwdriver to see about perhaps pulling it out and something was crawling inside!! .. A wasp then appeared out the hole and flew away..

Good to know I may have a nest inside the bathroom wall.. the wasp came back but was unhappy to see the hole blocked up.

This was my first job mixing mortar and applying it so here's my results:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

And a close-up:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

Very lumpy and bumpy, I had problems mixing the mix, judging the water requirement (it was ready to mix stuff too), however if it all falls out I will be more clued up next time.

I also took the time to fill some other holes under the bathroom window:

Untitled

• AnthonyDIY
• 12 Jul 2011
• 1

It was good to try something different. Thanks again for the assist!

 

[DAZB]

My pleasure and as they say 'every day's a school day'