Damp on internal wall-confused where it has come from

[Gb908010]

Hello fellow memebers, newbie here.

I have tide marks on internal wall right next to the French door.
External Dpc was done 7 years ago
Brick work is excellent condition as house was repointed by myself 7 years ago.
Seal around French doors was a little detoriated so I have replaced with new sealant.

Next door neighbour had a hopper which was blocked ( don't know how long for) this was overflowing so I am thinking this has saturated the floor and the bricks?

I also took the skirting off to check the internal wall and as you can see the plaster is dry so I am thinking I don't have rising damp.

The house is south facing so it will dry out no problem in the spring summer time.
I am not too concerned at the moment as I am redocarating the whole downstairs once I take the whole chimney breast out so I can take the remedial action then.
I am just really confused how this happened

What are your thoughts?

Many thanks

Untitled

• Gb908010
• 5 Jan 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Gb908010
• 5 Jan 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Gb908010
• 5 Jan 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Gb908010
• 5 Jan 2014
• 1

 

[catlad]

Condensation is my guess who put the doors in.

 

[Gb908010]

Window fitter about 8 year ago, not had any problem until recently?

 

[Blagard]

Window fitter about 8 year ago, not had any problem until recently?

If you mean the marks have only recently appeared I would not think it is condensation but more likely some fault in the new sealing works you have done around the doors that is channelling water in instead of keeping it out! Or possibly as a result of old sealant falling out and channelling water in.

If the marks are old and pre-existing your resealing work, it could be either condensation or a problem with the original sealant works.

Condensation issues tend not to suddenly appear where previously there was no problem

 

[Gb908010]

It appeared with the original sealant in place, there were a few airline cracks in the sealant so I raked out and replaced.obviously it hasn't got much chance of drying in this weather so will have to wait.
I have a thumb nail if condensation on the inner window so probably not that.
My new sealant bead is wide and covers both PVC and brickwork so fingers crossed it cures.

I have also unblocked next door neighbours hopper so all possible root causes have been fixed.
I clean the windows week in week out so would have noticed any dark patches so this is very recent hence my thoughts that it was the blocked drain or sealant.

How long does bricks take to dry out?

Would it be worth putting in a air brick? And if so how many above Dpc?



Thanks

 

[noseall]

It could be an incorrectly positioned frame and the recent driving rain that caused it.

If a frame is not fitted far enough back (towards the inside) and subsequently some of the external masonry is visible from the inside i.e. beyond the vertical dpc, then all the sealant in the world will not stop the water wicking through.

If there is less than say 20mm of brick visible in front of the frame then it may become a problem in driven rain.

Possibly.

 

[Gb908010]

I'll measure the brickwork and let you know

 

[Gb908010]

23mm from frame to edge of bricks

 

[Blagard]

I think the next question is how wide is the frame because you have around 80mm of the outer leaf brick behind it. If your frame is less than that Noseall is very probably correct.

 

[Gb908010]

Not sure what you mean but the frame is 40mm wide until the bead that keeps the glass in and 70mm deep
Been installed for around 8 years and had no problem before! Why would it all of sudden happen now?

Thanks

 

[noseall]

Been installed for around 8 years and had no problem before! Why would it all of sudden happen now?

Thanks

We haven't experienced driving rain quite like this years' prolonged blasting, for quite a while.

As said my thoughts on the bricks wicking water were just a suggestion that could be eliminated.

23mm plus the frame thickness of 70mm would amount to 93mm overall. Not ideal but not convincing either. It would amount to about 12mm of masonry showing the wrong side of the frame.

 

[Gb908010]

So should the frame be pushed back about 12mm? If so that will be a job left until i redecorate.

 

[Blagard]

I would dig out a small hole in the plaster where it gets wet to see exactly what is there. If the vertical DPC is getting bridged by the plaster then the answer would be to refit the frame inwards until the DPC is actually behind it and that may be nearer a move of 20mm

Look at the Jamb details on the link below - Your own frame could be fitted too far forward so the DPC is not properly behind the frame.

http://www.uwe.port.ac.uk/walls/cavity/section8.htm