Bridged dpc, trenched out.

[martysmarty]

Hi guys.

I have took on the plaster boarding work for the hallway/stairs in our house and i need to sort the damp course down the side of the house before boarding over that side wall.

the front of the house the dpc slate line was bridged fully, causing the internal wall to be wet. As it gets to the rear of the house it was visible by 150mm as it should be. I have dug a trench out 375mm depth down and around 180mm wide to air it out. I went low because of how wet that wall was i was hoping it would speed up the process.

Could anyone give a rough time scale as to how long it takes for the bricks to dry out under the dpc?

Also this property is a 1937 build, cavity wall with a slate dpc, should i consider dryzone injection and should there be air vents below the dpc these days or only above?

 

[^woody^]

Could anyone give a rough time scale as to how long it takes for the bricks to dry out under the dpc?

Never. That's why we have a DPC

Air vents are for "those days" not these days. If there are some there they should be. If none, probably should't be.

Dryzone if for damp problems above the DPC on the internal wall. Do you have a damp problem?

 

[martysmarty]

Hi woody.

I have been expecting a reply from you!

So generally speaking no i dont have damp issues other than the corner of the house that had a bridged dpc line. We have a drive down the side of the house to the garages at the rear. this gradient slope is how the dpc line has been bridged. At the front its under the slabs, at the rear it is correct.

No other issues and the only reason i am doing it is because i am plasterboarding the whole lot.

I guess i wont know if theres an underline issue unless it comes back. I am not expecting it if i am honest. Almost all problems i have come across are previous owner related.

The bricks above the dpc inside the house have definitly dried out compared to what they was. (1m height) its just the exterior up to the dpc are dark. I am probably looking into it too much.