Damp patches on wall

[AlanT123]

I have a single brick built farmhouse around 150 years old and a number of bricks on a gable end are crumbling. I believe this is the cause of some internal damp patches in two upstairs rooms. Is there another option to replacing the bricks as no doubt to do so would disturb internal plasterwork.

 

[JohnD]

The large eaves overhang protects the gable wall from rain.

The penetration is from your chimneystack.

 

[AlanT123]

John
Many thanks for your advice. I will look at it all again. Thank you again.
Alan

 

[tell80]

OP,
You have a cavity gable wall, the brickwork doesn't look too old.
Why not post photos of the suspect marks on the bedroom wall, and photos of the ground floor and first floor chimney breasts?
Are any of the fireplaces active in use?

 

[Nige F]

OP,
You have a cavity gable wall, the brickwork doesn't look too old.

cavity wall with headers showing ? 150 year old bricks ?

 

[Nige F]

I have a single brick built farmhouse around 150 years old and a number of bricks on a gable end are crumbling. I believe this is the cause of some internal damp patches in two upstairs rooms. Is there another option to replacing the bricks as no doubt to do so would disturb internal plasterwork.

How rude you are to the Original Poster, tell boy.

 

[Nige F]

If you imagine that those bricks, that soffit and that verge is 150 yrs old then you've both won another Darwin Prize.
Why do you two insist on displaying such sheer ignorance of anything the building trades? The forum asks why?

which 2 do you refer to tell boy ? Me and the OP ? The forum doesn't ask anything. It's just you and your imagination ,tell

 

[Alastairreid]

The forum asks why?

There's something seriously wrong with you mate! You're completely bonkers.

 

[opps]

If you imagine that those bricks, that soffit and that verge is 150 yrs old then you've both won another Darwin Prize.
Why do you two insist on displaying such sheer ignorance of anything the building trades? The forum asks why?

As per @Nige F 's post, how on earth can you insist that is a cavity wall? It certainly looks like a 9 inch wall to me. Why would anyone cut bricks in half for a cavity wall?

The soffit and barge boards are clearly uPVC but they may well have been plonked over the existing timber ones.

I really do not understand why you are so acerbic. And frankly I don't care what went so wrong in your life to make you so.

 

[opps]

I have a single brick built farmhouse around 150 years old and a number of bricks on a gable end are crumbling. I believe this is the cause of some internal damp patches in two upstairs rooms. Is there another option to replacing the bricks as no doubt to do so would disturb internal plasterwork.

Are the signs of damp on chimney breasts? A customer of mine had water stains in a room that I decorated one Easter. The chimney breast was fine until winter (the chimney pot had a breathable cap fitted). Then the water stains reappeared.

He spoke to a specialist who explained that old properties that have what were once working chimneys occasionally suffer from the old soot in them drawing in moisture that only becomes obvious in winter. His advice was to hack the plaster off the chimney breast and render them.

The guy offered the advice for free and he was recommended by the bloke that did the repointing. The property is about 120 yrs old, and like yours has 9" solid bricks walls.

I am currently doing exterior decorating at a property that Colin the pointer is repointing. I can ask him which bricks you have. IMO your pointing looks fine though, as do the bricks, regardless of a few blown faces.

Bricks absorb a given amount of water when it rains. Once the rain stops, the bricks release the water. I am not convinced that the bricks are directly responsible for the damp marks. But yeah, I am (primarily) a decorator rather than a brickie, that said, I have worked at hundreds of homes and as a 50 something year old person have witnessed many other specialist trades rectifying problems.

 

[AlanT123]

I am extremely grateful to you for your comments and advice. I had the brickwork re-pointed a few years ago albeit I didn’t get the chimney stack done. There are several areas of damp on one wall in a bedroom and a wall in the main bathroom. Each of these walls have the chimney running along the back of them. On reflection and taking into account your comments I suspect the chimney is the problem and should perhaps be re-pointed, would you agree?

 

[JohnD]

Are the chimney flues ventilated top and bottom?

Have a look in the loft for signs of rain penetration.

Photos would help.

 

[AlanT123]

I am attaching photos of the damp patches and the chimney in the loft, photo of an old fashioned fireplace in the bedroom where there is damp. The chimney then drops down to the hall where there is a log burner that is in regular use.
Then exterior photos of the chimney. Hope this can help. Ever grateful for you advice.

 

[JohnD]

Quite a lot of water penetration visible in the loft. I think that might be soot or dirt stains on the left, and lime on the right.

The chimney has had some poor attempts at repairing the pointing. The lead and brickwork were originally nicely done to a good standard. I think it needs new lead and pointing, this is usually done with a small scaffold platform. You will need a pretty good local person. There may be benching or other repairs on the top which we can't see

 

[AlanT123]

Thank you John