Is my builder fobbing me off? Damp patch...

rochester plasterer · 13 Jul 2016

Yea the builder needs to investigate this. This looks like a rising damp problem to me. If it was salts why is it only on the bottom skirting line ? Why hasn't this done this all over the wall ?
Keep us updated be good to hear how you got on .

Vim · 15 Jul 2016

No expert here but it does appear to be damp.... a few things to lookout for, apologiese if these have already been answered.

1) is this a an external all?
2) is this a new wall?
3) rising damp is a myth and the biggest con in the industry so make sure you DONT fall for any damp proofing treatment as i assure you this will damage the mortar n brick. Talking from experience here.

Things that can cause "rising damp" or is causing this issue for you.

1) DPC bridged (if you want more info on this just ask, as i'm assuming u might know what this means). External / internal (if concrete floor) maybe above or too close to the DPC.
2) The copper radiator pipes may have a leak OR there may just be condensation in the wall because of the copper pipe. The copper pipe should have been wrapped in the thermal tape before installing in the walls. Check this with you builder.

There should be no "salt" coming from a newly plaster wall and if you do get any it suggests that the builder hasn't used the correct material..... Also the builder should have advised you of the potential hazzard of this work prior to the work commencing.

Grouseman · 2 Oct 2016

So a few months on and I managed to persuade my builder it was not 'salts' causing the damp patches. So he's hacked off the plaster in the affected area and there is no obvious damp behind...Could I ask for your thoughts? See damp meter reading - not sure what level of moisture this is reflecting??? Any advice gratefully received!

scruffybiker · 3 Oct 2016

salts. Bin the damp c**p meter as again salts interfere with the readings. Rising damp is the largest con industry going..

scruffybiker · 3 Oct 2016

Looks as dry as ghandis flip flip

chappers · 3 Oct 2016

yep the fact that that meter hasn't shot to the end would indicate it's as dry as a bone. I would be inclined to just re-finish the wall and see if it returns.

kazuya · 3 Oct 2016

looks like your builder was right......................................shocker

Grouseman · 3 Oct 2016

To the eye it does look bone dry internally and the meter reading has dropped significantly. However, the below image was taken before the plaster came off and the reading went off the scale! Should I be worried or just eat some humble pie and ask my builder to fill it up again?! This isn't the first damp issue we've had on the build and so want to get it right now before I give him his final payment, as I know I won't be able to get him back if the damp does return...it's been difficult to get him here as it is!!! Appreciate the advice!

kazuya · 3 Oct 2016

condensation

Grouseman · 3 Oct 2016

Any suggestions of what might be causing that kazuya?

micric · 3 Oct 2016

Looks like rising damp to me, the area now exposed will dry out as you now note. Can you get a reading from the bottom of the skirting if you have the pronged meter ? Is it an internal wall ?

Grouseman · 3 Oct 2016

It's an internal wall. I've just taken a reading from the skirting (mdf) as far down as I could and it's coming out at 25% i.e. the same as the newly exposed internal wall.

williamglossop · 4 Oct 2016

I had a similar problem in my last house. It was an old stone built house though. I'd dot n dabbed some of the walls and skimmed them up. I didnt get round to fitting the skirtings for a couple of years, mainly cos it was behind the sofa blah blah blah. Anyway, with no skirtings fitted, the wall was always bone dry. However, when I did finally fit the skirtings, a few damp patches appeared in several places just above the skirting boards - very similar to yours. i hacked the plaster board off in the damp areas and it was bone dry behind. I was really surprised as I'd assumed the damp had come through the wall, but clearly not.

What I did was screw some tiling decoupling membrane to the wall where the damp was and then boarded back over it and patched it in. The damp never came back. I'd surmised that the damp must have been condensation from the room side - and when the skirtings were off, a draft could keep the damp away, but once the skirting went on the draft was sealed and the damp appeared.

John D v2.0 · 4 Oct 2016

Could indeed bbe condensation, if that wall is built through the floor onto the ground it'll be colder there then higher up.

Grouseman · 4 Oct 2016

OK so last photo I promise! So the other side of the door is the same wall in our hallway. This has been absolutely fine. Would this make the condensation argument more or less likely?

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Is my builder fobbing me off? Damp patch...

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