Damp prrof course the answer?

[ukheather]

In the top corner of my bedroom wall is a dark patch of wall. I painted yesterday and everywhere is dry apart from this area and the corner of the wall down, which is still wet but it feels like there is wet there but parts of it are dry to the touch. Above is the loft and behind it is the gutter/drainpipe.

It isn't really wet it is just small areas which the paint seems to just wipe off. Other parts feel we but they are dry.

Would a dpc solve this or is it something else other than damp?

I had my gutter cleaned and fixed last year so I think that is ok.

Any ideas? I hope you understand what I mean.

 

[Thermo]

heather, did you clean off the dark patch before painting (did it look black and mouldy?)

 

[ukheather]

My husband had put a paint over it a few years ago to stop damp, but it was more a dark colour not an actual mouldy colour if you know what I mean when we painted yesterday.

It is just strange how the corner of the wall really looks wet and the wall is very cold.

 

[barryo]

Can't be a DPC problem. This is only a few inches above ground level and protects against "rising damp."

Sounds like either a gutter leaking or mis-aligned or a problem with brickwork. Don't assume that because it was "fixed" last year it can't be the gutter. These often need sealing at the joints regularly and can be notoriously difficult to stop minor leaks.

What's the condition of the brickwork like on the outside wall near the damp patch. Could need re-pointing. If you have render, this could be cracked and holding moisture between the render and the wall, although less likely. Shouldn't cost much to have a local small-works builder to have a look.

Don't try painting over the patch until it's completely dry. This won't be succesful cosmetically and will only hold the damp in.

 

[ukheather]

It is a stone house. Could it be the loft or is it most likely to be the gutter? The gutter is located just above the bedroom and the downpipe runs down the side.

We have finished paining. It was ok before we started painting but it seemed to just eat the paint.

 

[ukheather]

 

[kevplumb]

sure you havent lost a tile in wind

 

[ukheather]

I will have a check but as I said that wall has been odd for a while that is why my husband painted it with damp proof paint years ago.