How long to let My wall dry out

[gordyboy1]

Hi guys

First post so please be gentle

My house is getting a new roof this year, which will hopefully cure the various damp problems we have been having, one external wall looks as if it will need re-dashing (very hollow sounding, so I guess it has been getting water behind it)

I have knocked a small section off to confirm the house is built of red brick and have found the brick looks to be very wet.

What is the general opinion of how long to leave it with the old dashing knocked off before considering getting it re-done??

Would a month or so do it, or would I be better getting roof done this year and knocking off next spring and aim for re-dashing back end of August??

Thanks for any advice
Gordon

 

[JohnD]

if the wall is wet the problem is likely to be gutter or downpipe problem. Sort that out, it does not need a roofer (but you may want a tower).

Cast iron is very heavy to handle. It is not safe to work on gutters off a ladder.

If the wall is actually Wet, it will probably take a good year to dry out, so the sooner you fix the leaks, the better.

 

[gordyboy1]

Thanks for the reply, should have probably clarified - Roof about shot. The slates are failrly rotten and the sarking T&G boards don't look to clever.

The Gutters look fine and are draining down the downspouts as they should.

I think the water has been getting into the wall from the failing roof and what looks to be a lack of felt under the slates such that water gets under the slate and into the sarking board, but not as far as the guttering.

Cheers
Gordon

 

[roy c]

In all my years in the building trade I have never seen a "rotten" slate!!! I have done a lot of re-roofs in my time and have see "delamination" of slates, ( usually on the underside). There are different grades of slate and different areas have different slates. When most of the houses were slated with Welsh slate you would get and can get a 100 years or more out of them and most of the roofs fail because of "nail fatigue". Check what slates you have got on your roof and find out how old your house is, you may just need to refelt (put felt on in your case ) and batten and repair any old decayed timbers and you might be able to use most of your old slates again!!!! Good Luck.....

Ps you say your house is brick, has it got a cavity?
pps If your living in Cumbria there is a good chance you have Westmore Land slates on your roof , Are they green?

 

[gordyboy1]

The slates look grey, when I say rotten I probably do mean delaminated. The slate sounds dull when tapped with a hammer and some of the lower ones I have looked at are quite brittle and the nail holes can be enlarged with a finger.

I have had a look at some lower slates tonight and was able to easily pull the surface layer off a couple of slates I was near

I'm not sure how old the house id, I think it's 1920's ish but I susspect the slates were reclaimed and had seen a prior life before covering my house.

There is a cavity between the brick walls but it is filled with polystyrene balls (I think this was done some 20 odd years ago)

I am happy to re-roof, will use Burlington slate and I don't intend moving for a good few years, but my real concern is how long my bricks should be left to dry.

Thanks for all the quick responses
Gordon

 

[roy c]

Have you thought about putting a dehumidifier in to dry your brick-work out? It shouldn't take that long, as long as you have stopped the wet coming in.....Nice slates those Burlingtons