Not sure if this is the correct forum or if it should be in the" floor" section.
I have been investigating the cause of a small damp patch that has appeared on the junction of one of my outside walls and the neighbour's party wall. The plaster had started to look a bit damp in the bottom corner and the carpet on top of the concrete floor was cold and smelly. I started by knocking off the damp plaster which disintegrated very easily. In fact it had pretty much turned back into sand. I was somewhat surprised to discover that the plaster appeared to go about 15-20cm below the surface of the floor. It is almost as if the walls were plastered first and then someone added the concrete slab. However, further along the wall it seems normal, the plaster stopping just before the concrete (see second picture). One of the bricks that I have exposed on the outside wall appears to be broken so I think that may be where the damp was getting in.
Any suggestions as to what I need to do to remedy this. There is theoretically a chemical damp proof course in the brickwork, and I presume that there is a DPC under the concrete slab as I haven't had any other damp issues in the past 20 years.
I have been investigating the cause of a small damp patch that has appeared on the junction of one of my outside walls and the neighbour's party wall. The plaster had started to look a bit damp in the bottom corner and the carpet on top of the concrete floor was cold and smelly. I started by knocking off the damp plaster which disintegrated very easily. In fact it had pretty much turned back into sand. I was somewhat surprised to discover that the plaster appeared to go about 15-20cm below the surface of the floor. It is almost as if the walls were plastered first and then someone added the concrete slab. However, further along the wall it seems normal, the plaster stopping just before the concrete (see second picture). One of the bricks that I have exposed on the outside wall appears to be broken so I think that may be where the damp was getting in.
Any suggestions as to what I need to do to remedy this. There is theoretically a chemical damp proof course in the brickwork, and I presume that there is a DPC under the concrete slab as I haven't had any other damp issues in the past 20 years.