Repair or just point up?

[Gogs33]

Greetings All,
I'm just continuing with some work to reduce water ingress into the old house we bought last year. I've just taken down all the really old, thick & woodworm infested ivy and have uncovered a section of protruding brick work (1/4-1/2 inch) above a window. I did know it was there and mentioned it to my brother-in-law who reckoned I could probably just point it up but I'm not convinced. The house is a 'mish mash' of stone and brick underneath and so we will likely need to lime render it or at least use a lime wash. So in that case maybe pointing it up would be ok as long as there's not a structural issue. I'll probably ask a builder to look at it anyway but just wanted some opinion before. Picture below, many thanks...Chris

 

[^woody^]

Sort out that damp from the cill above, then tap the bricks back and point it up.

 

[Gogs33]

Ok, I was wondering if they'd just 'tap' back. The leaks from the guttering but was difficult to access whilst the ivy was up. I'd already fixed another one further along that has now 'dried up' nicely.

 

[Himaginn]

Don't use a normal hammer. Try a rubber mallet or dead weight hammer, or a block of wood.
No-one knows until you try it.

 

[Gogs33]

Thanks Himaginn, I was planning on something soft (have a rubber camping mallet) but will have to break some render as it looks like they've patched and then left it...some strange holes in brick too. There are also some blown bricks, would I be best to remove these or if I have to render anyway will it be ok to point the brick face and then render/paint over ?

 

[vinn]

Your cill appears to lack a throating, so no matter where the leak or water is dropping from its returning under the cill and running down the brickwork. Maybe there is a very faint throating so it would still be best to open it up.
A few passes with an angle grinder disc will cut a throating below the cill.

There's no render visible in your photo - do you perhaps mean the pointing mortar in the beds & perps?
My take on painting masonry is dont ever do it.

If you have other issues with the brickwork then why not post photos of them?

 

[Gogs33]

Thanks Vinn, I look at that. I will post some more photos but just getting too much grief from work at the moment. There's no render yet but because the house is a mix of brick and stone now the ivy's down it looks a bit messy. As it's an old house I want to allow it to 'breathe' so was planning on a lime render or wash but still looking into it. I want to sort out the obvious damp issues first and see how the internal RH responds as currently it's quite high unless well ventilated or the dehumidifier is running.

 

[vinn]

Older houses are meant to look old - its not a defect but messing about with them can often introduce defects - not to mention the possible prospect of ongoing maintenance.


I'm surprised that you dont report damp signs on the other, interior, side of the wall? Or do "obvious damp issues" refer to interior damp problems?