Damp Patches

[Grinning Grandad]

Hello, my son has just sent me some photo’s of some damp patches that have appeared in a cupboard under his stairs. It is an outside wall so I asked him to send me some pics of the outside wall too. I’m no expert but the damp patches look like they may be linked to dot & dab? The outside wall has moss going all the way up to the roof and he admitted there has been a small drip for about 18 months coming from the gutter (he thinks). The brickwork at ground level looks a bit ropey and shouldn’t there be an air brick?

Could there be a combination of issues here?

I should add that it’s an old house which had been renovated before they moved in. The back wall is part of the original house (a new extension can just been seen on the left hand side). Also that area where the back wall is, is a small gap between the extension and next door and is never accessed or viewed.

 

[catlad]

You certainly can't allow that amount of water to run down your wall on a regular basis and not have problems.

 

[KenGMac]

Morrissey, good evening.

Several issues, all possibly linked.

1/. From the sheer volume of moss, there is a really good going leak from either the down pipe or the gutter, indeed the gutter may??? be blocked at the entry to the down pipe [ a tennis ball does this job very, very well?? ] blame the kids?

2/. Yes the isolated damp staining internally is dot and dab, but why? do you know if the cavity of the external wall has had retro-filled insulation installed?

3/. A trip out during a rain storm with an umbrella, should locate the leak?? As an aside there is visual evidence of long term water staining on the outside of the plastic rain water down pipe??

Possible remedies.

A/. Find and fix the leak.
B/. Rid the external wall of the moss, use a moss killer and a soft brush later, several applications of moss killer may be needed??
C/. Once the source of the leak is rectified externally leave the internals for a wee while see what happens. to assist beg, borrow or hire a medium sized De-Humidifier and let it run, await results and see what you are left with?

My stock in trade retort is address the leak and let the damage mature internally?

Ken.

 

[^woody^]

Gutters or eaves are leaking

Wall needs repointing.

Damp spots may be from plaster board adhesive dabs - condensation cold spots.

 

[Colin Brenton]

First (and the cheapest/easiest and most important thing) is to make certain the gutters are in good order, and the down pipe is not blocked.

Once that is done, consider removing the moss from the wall surface and then take it from there.

This is a job to get done ASAP, before more damage results. Good luck with it.

 

[Grinning Grandad]

Thank you for your advice on this. My son managed to get access to the gutter from next door's flat roof and the small pipe at the top that feeds from the gutter into the down pipe was completely blocked. He was able to unblock this so hopefully the cause of the dampness has been found. I have advised him to clean off all the moss and consider getting the bricks repointed.

 

[bobasd]

Colin Brenton, is that you in the pic going down white water?