Crumbling paint only recently happening

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Leicestershire
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Hi all

As you'll see from the picture below, we have crumbling paint on an internal wall, which my brother noticed when he painted over our bright green washable paint in 2015 with some emulsion (we've lived with it since then :rolleyes:). Before then we hadn't noticed anything. So the picture is of the boarded up chimney breast, and the tideline continues along the wall and in the other picture it shows how it is on the front of the breast also. We are in a terraced house and the neighbours haven't noticed anything on their side apparently but they do rent so not so much invested for them.

The house was damproofed - but we are talking probably 20 years ago.

Could this be rising damp or could it be something less difficult to tackle? I'd be grateful to have any input please! (y)

By the way, the top of the chimney alcove isn't damp, it's unpainted board. And the right hand side seems to be only paint, whereas the back wall is like a lining paper and tapping on here sounds hollow. The dehumidifier is drawing water out. :(

Thanks everyone!


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sandydog, good evening.

Looks a lot like rising damp.

As for "hollow sound" at the rear of the fire alcove, probably plasterboard to hide the masonry / bricks which form the fireplace.

As an aside? where does your water main enter the property? anywhere near this area, or is there a drain in the vicinity?

Can you recall any unusual happenings around the house in last say 3 Months? flood? external works of any sort?

Ken
 
Good evening Ken and thanks so much for your response. I don't think there are any pipes under this part of the property, and the water main is at the back of the house about 5-6 feet away. My husband says there is a big pipe running under the front room, but I'm certain this would be gas. There are downpipes about 2-3 feet away on the outside of the house, that have leaked rain onto that external wall and this penetrated the brick. This was noticed about 8 months after the damp areas were pointed out, but this particular area has dried out. This wall is the alcove which leads to the chimney breast though, and who's to say I just didn't notice it before?

I realised when I read my post that 'only recently' is actually almost 4 years ago! I just cannot think of anything that coincided with that particular time.
 
Does the lining paper feel soft. if it is still damp the glue will fell slightly tacky.

Does the chimney have a cap on the top to reduce the amount of rain that falls down it?

AFAIK you should have a grill in the plasterboard to help the air flow and reduce damp.
 
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Hello apps and thanks
The lining paper feels soft but not tacky. Heaven knows how long it's been there - many years I imagine There isn't a cap on the chimney, and all I've done is stab some holes in the plasterboard. There haven't been any signs of rain falling directly down the chimney although it would be ridiculous for me to think this is true in England! So could it be the rain penetrating the brick?

It's such a strange pattern at the front of the chimney breast.
 
sandydog, good evening.

In general any unused blocked up chimney flue "should" be vented top and bottom.

At the top a vented cap should be installed, have a look outside at the chimney pot?

At the base of the flue where the old unused fireplace is blocked of should also be vented.

Any un-vented chimney flue can and is prone to the formation of Condensation, this condensation can cause all sorts of problems especially around the immediate area of the blocked old unused fire place.

Suggest you have a search on this site, use the search function [top right]

Ken
 
Thanks Ken, I'm going to look at what you've suggested. I also have a damp specialist coming to have a look tomorrow so I'll see what he thinks.
 

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