I live in a house built in 1884 and the walls are NOT cavity-style and they are nine inches thick. Ten foot off of the ground in the ground floor kitchen a 18x18 inch damp patch has appeared after heavy rain. It is thus not rising damp and nor is it a leak from the room above. I suspect that the damp has come through the pointing/bricks, but although there is a little bit of paint flaking off of the exterior wall about eleven feet up, the bricks seems okay to me that is.
I have had three builders come round and each has given a worthy but different opinion. All have agreed that the exterior pointing if a little worn in places just above the damp patch on the inside, appears secure and free from visible damp.
Number one builder suggested scraping the plaster off of the inside of the wall, coating the bricks on the inside with damp-proof liquid and then re-plastering. Number two suggested re-pointing the bricks come what may and then re-paint the exterior wall and number three said that he noticed that the water-based exterior paint has begun to flake a bit and suggested raking the loose bits of worn brick and repairing them and then raking the loose bits of paint off and then re-painting with an oil-based exterior paint.
Two easy q's; 1) Is oil-based paint a decent sealant and better than a water-based exterior paint and 2) Which builder has given the best advice?
I have had three builders come round and each has given a worthy but different opinion. All have agreed that the exterior pointing if a little worn in places just above the damp patch on the inside, appears secure and free from visible damp.
Number one builder suggested scraping the plaster off of the inside of the wall, coating the bricks on the inside with damp-proof liquid and then re-plastering. Number two suggested re-pointing the bricks come what may and then re-paint the exterior wall and number three said that he noticed that the water-based exterior paint has begun to flake a bit and suggested raking the loose bits of worn brick and repairing them and then raking the loose bits of paint off and then re-painting with an oil-based exterior paint.
Two easy q's; 1) Is oil-based paint a decent sealant and better than a water-based exterior paint and 2) Which builder has given the best advice?