Help!! Leaky conservatory - no cavty trays installed :(

[freddiemercurystwin]

Nine times out of ten if this were a proper extension Building Control would insist a tray be fitted above the 'flashing' so why people think that just because its a conservatory and not an extension that rainwater will behave differently is a mystery to me. Brickworks is porous and can allow water to penetrate through, photo 4 looks like water is collecting at the bottom of the cavity to me and there's a good chance that's getting in from above as well as creeping along from the sides. Sure there's problems elsewhere but a good start would be a proper tray above the 'flashing'.

Frankly as Static pointed out earlier, unless proper measures are taken ie trays inserted and external skins broken at junctions and dpm's inserted conservatories are little more than greenhouses. These kind of measures may seem excessive however the Forum is littered with similar threads.

 

[Queenies]

Thanks for your replies - wish i'd known all this beforehand but i guess its a case of learning the hard way!! So now the question is how much am i looking at??

 

[mnb]

The other guys are right -i'm wrong - about the cavity trays. I was careless and didnt read and look at the pics carefully enough.
However, if there was a frame (W/F?) in-situ before, then there should have been a lintel/dpc also, the damp is, after all, concentrated around the opening head. Are there any other frame openings at GL on that elevation?
But, typically, wind driven rain is a major cause of cavity penetrating moisture - who painted the brickwork and for what reason?
You can remove brickwork and observe a spray test and the condition of the cavity.
If you do go down the c/tray route then say, £1500 rough est.

 

[alittlerespect]

Hi

To be honest, I have had to deal with similar problems to yours in the past and the only long term solution is to introduce cavity trays.

Its not as difficult a job as you may fear and is quite within the abilities of a good diy'er!
Take the job a step at a time - depending on the length of your run, break it down into no more than 900mm sections (you also need to consider length of cavity tray + overlap) - once you've worked out your guage remove alternative sections of brick course and when your ready install sections of cavity tray and rebuild section/s - leave for 24hrs and repeat on remaining sections to be removed! As you progress with these works rake out the mortar joints and point in all the affected brickwork once you have completed installing the cavity tray - this will then allow you to use one mortar mix throughout and avoid pointing with different colours where the mix may otherwise vary!

You may need some replacement bricks to cover breakages - obviously you need to determine how you are going to safely access the roof to carry out these works, which has been covered by others!

Regards

 

[alittlerespect]

Hi

To be honest, I have had to deal with similar problems to yours in the past and the only long term solution is to introduce cavity trays.

Its not as difficult a job as you may fear and is quite within the abilities of a good diy'er!
Take the job a step at a time - depending on the length of your run, break it down into no more than 900mm sections (you also need to consider length of cavity tray + overlap) - once you've worked out your guage remove alternative sections of brick course and when your ready install sections of cavity tray and rebuild section/s - leave for 24hrs and repeat on remaining sections to be removed! As you progress with these works rake out the mortar joints and point in all the affected brickwork once you have completed installing the cavity tray - this will then allow you to use one mortar mix throughout and avoid pointing with different colours where the mix may otherwise vary!

You may need some replacement bricks to cover breakages - obviously you need to determine how you are going to safely access the roof to carry out these works, which has been covered by others!

Regards

 

[Nige F]

Cavity trays of Yeovil Retro-fit trays