Damp and Wet floor/Wall

[lowie]

Hi All,

I'm hoping I can get some advice please.

We recently bought a bungalow (40 years old) and found that a corner bedroom had damp in the corner and going along the gable end wall. Low down and nothing above 6 inches except for the corner of the plaster that seems damp but that could be the decorators caulk I used and the emulsion has dried a different colour?

I had a look outside and the drainpipe on the corner was draining into a soak away, when I put my hand down it was full of fine roots and backed up. When I put a hose pipe in it over flowed within a few seconds.

Rather than find the soak away and re-dig it I diverted the drain pipe down the gable wall to the other end of the gable and it to the other drain pipe. that one drains in to the main drain so drains fine.

I thought this would resolve the problem for us.

But, I have found that the lower wall and floor are damp again now the weather has turned cold and damp.

Lifting the carpet/underlay the floor is wet. I think its a concrete floor but hard to tell as its painted in bitumen type stuff. (maybe to try and stop this issue in the past? and it seems all the floors are painted in this stuff)


Along the lower part of the wall is cold/damp with mold on skirting's. Also noticed the other bedroom on that gable wall is wet through on the walls behind wardrobe and bed but seems better since pulling out slightly and getting more heat in the room.




So is the problem still the soak away that's filled? if so shouldn't the damp proofing stop the water getting inside?

Is it the floor membrane that's failed?

Is it the wall damp proof that's failed?

Is it a leak from above and running down inside the gable wall and then soaking the wall?


We do need to replace the roof next year as its an asbestos factory type of roof covering so needs to go, but it still looks to be in good condition and no visible cracks etc.

 

[vinn]

Why not research similar posts and threads here, and in the building forum?
Posting photos of the interior and the outside will also help.

 

[cjard]

If there's a chance the soak away could be working in reverse in wet weather, providing an area for water to collect, then it could be causing a problem.. things to do with running water are seldom fixed, as year on year the underground flows can change, move silt around etc.

Maybe start by digging anything against the house, away from the wall and leaving an open hole for a while, seeing if it a)fills with water or b) if things inside improve (note, it can take months for a wall to dry out)

 

[bernardgreen]

What "running water" where will this running water come from?

Try a google for aquifer, they can carry "running water". It is not unknown for a soak away over many years create a channel that links up to an aquifer and then be continuously filled from the aquifer

 

[vinn]

Nothing in the information provided by the OP fit the (googled) conditions for an Aquifer.
Nothing in the information provided by the OP mentioned running water. The roof leak is irrelevant.

 

[Nige F]

Why not research Vinn's posts on tarmac floors ?

 

[lowie]

Ill have a search about then, I was hoping for some info relevant to my conditions as usually when looking at other people problems its hard to know if it is a similar problem.

 

[cjard]

What "running water" where will this running water come from?

The sky, I suppose. Or were you thinking earlier in the cycle?

 

[Nige F]

Could it be from a leaking Threaded Steel water main ?

 

[bernardgreen]

Another Darwin prize holder claims "Its an Aquifer

Take care Vinn when contradicting people.

Have you never seen water running or trickling out of a small hole in the side wall of a trench ? Maybe you haven't dug or inspected enough trenches. And I am not refering to pipes broken when the trench was dug.

Water draining out of a soak away can create new water ways ( or aquifers ) that link up to existing sub soil water channels and then instead of draining the soak away these new water ways fill the soak away with water from the pre-existing water channels.

 

[lowie]

Take care Vinn when contradicting people.

Have you never seen water running or trickling out of a small hole in the side wall of a trench ? Maybe you haven't dug or inspected enough trenches. And I am not refering to pipes broken when the trench was dug.

Water draining out of a soak away can create new water ways ( or aquifers ) that link up to existing sub soil water channels and then instead of draining the soak away these new water ways fill the soak away with water from the pre-existing water channels.

bernardgreen, Do you think its likely to be the soak away then?

Now you have said this it makes me wonder. How far away from the property would it likely be? The garden is flat or around 15 metres and then rises up up and slop for another 15 metres.

I guess the water could be flowing in this ground to the soak away on the flat ground, filling the soak away constantly and causing this problem?

Looks like I need to get digging!

Any tricks on finding the soak away location or just follow the drain?

thanks for advice guys

 

[lowie]

I have also been in the roof and the asbestos sheet has ceiling tiles on the underside so you cant see the asbestos sheet.

There are a few areas where the tiles are bowing and a couple cracked which looks to be damp from somewhere, be it a leak or condensation I don't know. The roof sheets don't show any signs of damage/cracks from outside though.

 

[vinn]

The possibility that the water table/ground water is a cause of your difficulties increases now that you say that the building appears to be below a slope?
The soakaway (if it is a soakaway?) is irrelevant facing the force of gravitational ground water.
The fact that you claim that the whole slab is "painted with a bitumen like stuff ... to try & stop this issue in the past" would indicate that its a large area known as the footprint of the house that has a damp problem.
You've made no mention of a DPM under the concrete?
Neither have you posted the requested photos?

Ref your roof difficulties whether its "a leak or condensation" you say you "dont know" - & without photos neither do we.

 

[cjard]

If there's a chance the soak away could be working in reverse in wet weather, providing an area for water to collect, then it could be causing a problem.. things to do with running water are seldom fixed, as year on year the underground flows can change, move silt around etc.

Maybe start by digging anything against the house, away from the wall and leaving an open hole for a while, seeing if it a)fills with water or b) if things inside improve (note, it can take months for a wall to dry out)

What "running water" where will this running water come from? (etc..)

The garden is flat or around 15 metres and then rises up up and slop for another 15 metres.

I guess the water could be flowing in this ground to the soak away on the flat ground, filling the soak away constantly and causing this problem?

The possibility that the water table/ground water is a cause of your difficulties increases now that you say that the building appears to be below a slope?
The soakaway (if it is a soakaway?) is irrelevant facing the force of gravitational ground water.

So, you know the part where I mooted this possibility right at the start of the thread and you went off on one about it.. then later came round to talking about the exact same thing?

That's normally one of those situations where an apology is due..

 

[lowie]

First 4 pictures show the corner which has the worst damp at floor level, Mainly along the floor on the gable wall and slight on back wall getting less away from corner.

The next 3 show other corner which has a slight problem but not as bad.

The last 3 are from roof space looking at corner worst affected.

The garden does slope slightly further up the garden yes which I guess puts more water in to the soak away? but is still lower than the floor level in the bungalow. As you will see in the pictures its raised and floors are on top of a dwarf wall. Above this wall is cladding over a steel frame. front and back of bungalow are cladding over steel frame and both gables are brick, along with the dwarf wall.

I can see a DPM in the gable wall in places which seems to be around internal floor level.

I have no idea if floors have been painted in bitumen to stop issues but do wonder why? As you can see its a strange type of construction with steel frame, wood clad and light weight sheet roof. At least the garage has been done in brick and tile construction! We may as well go and live in that!