Damp wall

[Block642]

We have an old cottage that has damp in one corner of the dining room.

It is a solid wall with no cavity built around 1860ish. The wall that is damp is an exterior wall. Outside there is a 12inc gap and then a 12 foot retaining wall belonging to the farm behind our house.

I have no idea where to start with this damp. We have a radiator in the room and have used a de-humidifier which we have used and has helped a little.

The other half wants me to baton and panel the lower half of the walls with MDF "tounge and groove style" boards.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I know the panels would not cure the damp and only hide it, but I am at a loss of how to sort it out. Other people have said to me that it will never be cured and "These old cottages all have damp".

 

[foxhole]

You could ask if the wall next door could be removed or reduced in height , it's proximity is preventing the wall from drying.

 

[Block642]

Unfortunately it is a retaining wall. The farm is 12 foot higher than our house.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I'm sure the suggestion that the retaining wall be removed was a joke, either that or foxhole has mistakenly taken his stupid pills instead of asprins this morning!

How thick is the wall, is it rendered or stone or what, is it solid or is the inside filled with crap, how's the pointing, what is the condition, where is the damp: top or bottom of the wall, is the ground level higher than the floor level or lower? Where does all the rain in the soil behind this retaining wall drain to? How much do you ventilate this room, how do you ventilate this room, is the property occupied full time, any mould, how long has it done it?

Questions questions ......

Better off asking in the building section.

 

[Block642]

Right - I have spoke to the bloke we bought the house off who lived there for 30 years or something. He said that there used to be an inglenook fireplace on that wall, but it wasn't used so they built a block wall infront of it to dry line it!

I imagine that as with everything else I have uncovered in the house it was a bit of a bodge job.

The wall on the outside is pebble dashed, inside it is skimmed. The damp is in either corner of the room. It is worst right down in the corner and rises to about 2 feet.

We ventilate the room by opening the window. The heating is on for at least a couple of hours a day at the moment (although the radiator needs replacing) and we have been using a de-humidifier for a couple of hours most evenings.