Condensation spot (vent plastered over?)

[Firoze]

Hi all,

So I finally finished painting a house that the family and I moved into a few months ago and woke up this morning to a large patch of wet running what I believe is condensation in the living room. (File attached). Ironically I packed away all my paint brushes yesterday!

I had a look at the outside wall and there is a plastic vent in the same spot. Any ideas how I can stop this spot from forming? I'm guessing the cold air is coming in through the vent and hitting the warm inside wall causing it. I guess removing the vent isn't a good idea but willing to listen to any suggestions!

Many thanks,

F

 

[vinn]

What is the external vent venting? Do you have a photo of the vent?

 

[Firoze]

Afraid I don't have a photo at the moment and it's too dark to take one now! I've got an old photo of where it is though. It's about a 2 feet away from the chimney (not on the chimney itself), you can't see the vent/plastic air brick in the photo attached but it's along the wall in the area that is covered from view by the chimney.

 

[vinn]

Perhaps, a photo tomorrow?
But what is it venting?

 

[Firoze]

I will upload one tomorrow. As far as I can tell, nothing. I've tried to have a peek through but all I can see is what I assume to be the internal wall.

 

[Firoze]

Morning Vinn, I've attached a couple of pictures. The first is off the airbrick. The second, I've tried my best to get a photo of what's behind it. It looks to my untrained eye that the inner wall has damage to it and there is a hole there.

Would you think that a solution would be to remove the airbrick and patch up the inner wall, then install a new airbrick?

Many thanks

 

[REEMS]

Take vent out and have a look, i take it the vent lower down is below floor level.
Andy.

 

[JohnD]

I wonder if the room used to have a gasfire, or a woodburner.

 

[Firoze]

I wonder if the room used to have a gasfire, or a woodburner.

Hi John, the room does have a gas fire. The vent is to the left of the chimney breast. In the first picture, you can't see it but the fire is to the left of the wet patch.

 

[Nigel_Cro]

My Guess - When the gas fire was fitted the fitter insisted on the correct venting being installed before he was prepared to 'sign off'. As soon as he walked out of the door, the householder took the internal vent plate off and filled and plastered over the hole. Being a bit of a chancer, no doubt he couldn't be ar*ed to remove the external vent.

 

[vinn]

As reme above, do you have a suspended floor?
Is the gas fire actively used?
Is there an air brick/vent anywhere else in the room?

Pull the external vent, its already damaged, and look inside the cavity for any cavity insulation or debris bridging the cavity on the ties or at the bottom of the cavity. A small mirror and a torch will help.

The lower vent has had remedial pointing around it on the lower courses - the main wall has recessed pointing which is not good (water pools on the ledges) but you have a cavity.
Can you point out where the DPC is on a photo?