Hi. Need some advice please re dampcourse found 3.5 courses below ground. This is the back of my Victorian terrace. Previous owners had taken out back window and inserted a door and laid a concrete path to the door. The floor joists inside this door were rotting which led me to investigate an air brick, which I found buried under the door threshold. Having taken up some of the concrete and dug a trench, I have what you see below. I will have to replace some blown bricks and completely repoint the unpainted area. My question is, what would be your course of action here? Should I dig out all the soil and put a retaining wall in along the red dotted line to hold back the fence, dig another course down and fill with 20mm gravel to one course below slate. Paint wall above slate. Or retro fit a new plastic DPC somewhere around the green dotted line, back fill current trench with 20mm gravel, building trough for airbrick? Or something else? Any advice appreciated. Many thanks
DMP under ground level
- Thread starter matty_hunt
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Normally the DPC will be in the mortar course below the air brick. Yours looks to be one additional course below.
Where is the corresponding dpc in the inner leaf of that wall?
What is the level of ground on the other side of the fence?
It is important that your airbrick can function properly, and the dpc is not bridged.
I suspect that I'd dig down to just below dpc. If you do that you don't need to fill with gravel.
Normally dpc should be 150mm above ground level to prevent splashing from the ground onto the wall. But I suspect that situation is in a sheltered spot.
A step in front of the door is acceptable, but you must consider the function of the airbrick. A "tunnel" through the step would maintain this function, with another airbrick on the face of the step.
You could also either use a vertical dpc between the step and the wall, or provide a small air gap.
Where is the corresponding dpc in the inner leaf of that wall?
What is the level of ground on the other side of the fence?
It is important that your airbrick can function properly, and the dpc is not bridged.
I suspect that I'd dig down to just below dpc. If you do that you don't need to fill with gravel.
Normally dpc should be 150mm above ground level to prevent splashing from the ground onto the wall. But I suspect that situation is in a sheltered spot.
A step in front of the door is acceptable, but you must consider the function of the airbrick. A "tunnel" through the step would maintain this function, with another airbrick on the face of the step.
You could also either use a vertical dpc between the step and the wall, or provide a small air gap.
Thanks Bobby. Ground level the same on other side of fence. Im going to dig it all out and put in retaining wall. Let the wall breath as much as possible. Cheers
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