Damp issue in our old kitchen

[Dougie212]

Hi there.

I am having an issue in our kitchen of which we have lived with for nearly 10 years. We are shortly planning to renovate but I have recently noticed an issue on one of the walls. The wall is the exterior wall.

I have noticed a damp area on the paint work which has risen no further than about 12" off the floor. I have looked outside and there appears to be damp proof inserts (don't know the technical name for them) which must have been there for some time. I have also noticed that the pointing is pretty shot in the area where the damp is.

My question is what is the best way to deal with this please? I have attached some pictures to hopefully give a better idea. I was wondering if the damp proof inserts could fail or could it be that the pointing needs doing and a coat of damp seal on the brick work would do the trick?

It is an old house so the bricks are looking a bit tired here and there. The area outside this wall is a concrete courtyard which is a bit exposed to the elements but this is an issue which has only just started to show itself recently and I'd like it sorting out before the kitchen is renovated.

Many thanks in advance.

Duncan

 

[chris1982]

Are the "damp proof inserts" sticks or are they more like a mastic that set? If the former, they might be "Dryrods" which definitely should have been inserted into the mortar to have an effect. Also other products might have required to go into the mortar. Then they should have been pointed over.
Having said that, the mortar does not look wet to me, so the problem might be elsewhere. If I were you I would monitor the situation a bit to see how the damp varies with conditions, e.g. cooking (steam), washing-up (drain pipe), rain (poor pointing), etc.

 

[Dougie212]

Thanks for your response Chris. The issue never seems to get any worse or any better. I must admit Im a bit baffled... The sticks are like a clear mastic which has set in the brick. God knows how long its been there, we have lived here for 12 years and it was done before we moved in..

 

[oldbutnotdead]

What's the relative height floor level inside to ground level outside? Looks as if the outside wall is getting consistently wet (all that green gunge), does the concrete slope away from the wall, does it drain away quickly. Is that waste pipe cracked?

 

[KenGMac]

Dougie212, good evening.

Following on from oldbutnotdead post, the Plastic pipe could? be leaking inside the wall? try leaving the tap just dribbling for as long as possible, see what happens?

Having copied the Images and enlarged them there may??? be a "Missing" insert hole on the wall???

Large degradation of the Mortar and gaps will allow rain water to get in.

Ken.

 

[chris1982]

And one can't see a DPM. It looks to me like there has been a problem for a long time, and someone in the past tried to cure by putting masonry paint on the bricks, followed by someone (else) thinking the (nonbreathable) paint was problem and they scrapped it off.
If the problem is localized and around the pipe only, I would investigate more there. Even if the pipe is not leaking, if it slopes down towards the inside of the house, rain might run along it.

 

[Dougie212]

Fantastic!! thankyou all for your replies. Regarding the DPM. Is there some more photos I can take to maybe help show if there is one or not?? The lay of the land... well, is a concrete courtyard and yes the water does seem to sit in that area although not too badly. The pipe did have a leak but only for a short time as I fixed it after a day or two. The house inside was codged when we moved in so it does not surprise me that you think the outside has been codged as well.. I will take some more photos to post tomorrow showing the area from a bit more of a distance and if you could tell me if theres a way of checking or photos to help you guys see if there is a DPM that would be great.

 

[Dougie212]

Oldbutnotdead .... I think the levels of the ground are pretty much the same inside as they are outside. I can double check tomorrow but I think its pretty close.

 

[vinn]

OP,
Stand back & take a pic showing much more of the outside wall (including the render) - it will give a context.
Same inside, show as much of the wall as possible.
Remove the skirting and photo to show the wall/floor junction.

Do you have a solid floor?
Do you have a solid wall?

The pointing needs raking out to a depth of say 25mm and re-pointing in sand and lime mortar at 3:1.
Some bricks might need to be replaced.
The weird pattern of injection holes has plastic plugs inserted.
The injection material was probably pressurised liquid chemical - most likely useless when injected, and worthless now as a DPC. DPM's, typically, go under floors not into walls.

 

[Dougie212]

Brilliant.. Thanks Vinn. I will do that now and post the pictures.

 

[Dougie212]

These pics are of the outside. Excuse the state, as I say, we have left this end of the house untouched while we get the inside sorted.... We were left with a nightmare... The black waste pipe did have a loose connection at the top but only for a matter of a day or 2.

 

[Dougie212]

And inside.. The skirting board off and I discover soil!!!... the soil looks damp to me, and I have just dug some out with my finger and it feels damp.

 

[vinn]

Thanks for the extra pics.

1. oldbutnotdead's observation about interior & exterior ground to FFL levels was well accurate.
2. The yard surface looks to be too high, bridging any original DPC in the wall. If the wall is solid then the moisture is penetrating across to the interior.
3. The interior floor appears to be "solid" but there's no sign of a DPM - are ceramic tiles in place below the laminate?
4. Cut away the bottom 600mm of the kitchen plaster board (it might be Dot&Dab) & pic what is exposed.
5. Examine the back of the base units for mould or damp.
6. Examine all that interior wall - high and low for any signs of damp penetration.
7. The chemical injection & the panel of render were previous remedial attempts to correct the damp appearing in the kitchen. Examine the render for any cracks, hollowness or bulging.

8. Remove the waste pipes to make re-pointing easier.
9. Is there a leak trickling from the base of the soil pipe or is the trickle from a hose bib/pipe?
10. The yard concrete has a significant crack - a future repair or renewal of the yard concrete to a correct lower level.
11. During rainfall, observe any elevation guttering for leaks.
12. Clean out & dry out the gulley trap - then examine for any cracks.
13. The green algae is from splash.

 

[Dougie212]

Thats a fantastic answer Vinn.. thankyou!.. The soil pipe does have a leak from a coupler which seems to have had a pie fitted, but has been bunged. Im told I can replace the bottom section of the soil pipe so Im not overly worried about that. The floor of the kitchen is solid and yes, there are tiles underneath the laminate flooring (which Ive just discovered). Regarding the wall.. other than re-pointing, is there anything else that I should look at doing? The render is pretty shot, and if Im honest as part of the kitchen re-hash I was intending on getting it re-done. Regarding the DPC.. Is that something that needs sorting once the level of the yard is lowered or can I get that sorted now? Ultimately I want to stop that damp problem before we progress any more. What Im confused about is where on earth the soil has come in from.....

 

[vinn]

If you do as suggested above then it will become easier to say what should be done next.

Ref the DPC - same answer as above.

Ref the render panel - knock it off back to the bricks & then post a pic. Chances are that the wall will need re-pointing.