I moved into a 1900s semi last year. In the survey for damp, the firm carrying it out found damp in the front wall of the living room, below the window. However, as the mortgage company didn't put a retention on the mortgage, I wasn't required to do anything.
Now it's come to redecorating and I want to try and sort out the problem. So I have hacked off the plaster from under the window, which was slightly cracked and came off pretty easily, which suggests it was shot. However, the wall wasn't damp to the touch. I have read lots about the great DPC con, so I think I'm going to try and find the source of the damp. And I think this might be it...
You can see a picture here www.jawaddington.co.uk/outsidewall.jpg
As you can see, there's a sloped plastic cover on the front wall, which is designed to cover the cellar window. However, it goes quite high up the wall. Also, the concrete slopes up from the garden to the wall.
I'm struggling to see though, where the original DC might be - can anyone advise on whether it looks like the DC is being bridged by this outside stuff, or whether the concrete is too high and causing rain to splash up the wall? I'm planning on removing the concrete and therefore lowering the outside level, as well as moving the sloping cover further down the wall.
There is also a small garden wall that runs around the small front garden and meets the house. Funnily enough, the corner inside that is the dampest area in the whole room (the plaster feels damp - and it's round a socket!) is in contact with that garden wall. I'm thinking that I will chisel out the end bricks and mortar on the outside garden wall and insert a physical strip of DC vertically and then mortar back in - does that seem like a reasonable approach? Should the DC sit right against the brick or should it be sandwiched in between the mortar?
Any help appreciated!
Thanks...
Alex
Now it's come to redecorating and I want to try and sort out the problem. So I have hacked off the plaster from under the window, which was slightly cracked and came off pretty easily, which suggests it was shot. However, the wall wasn't damp to the touch. I have read lots about the great DPC con, so I think I'm going to try and find the source of the damp. And I think this might be it...
You can see a picture here www.jawaddington.co.uk/outsidewall.jpg
As you can see, there's a sloped plastic cover on the front wall, which is designed to cover the cellar window. However, it goes quite high up the wall. Also, the concrete slopes up from the garden to the wall.
I'm struggling to see though, where the original DC might be - can anyone advise on whether it looks like the DC is being bridged by this outside stuff, or whether the concrete is too high and causing rain to splash up the wall? I'm planning on removing the concrete and therefore lowering the outside level, as well as moving the sloping cover further down the wall.
There is also a small garden wall that runs around the small front garden and meets the house. Funnily enough, the corner inside that is the dampest area in the whole room (the plaster feels damp - and it's round a socket!) is in contact with that garden wall. I'm thinking that I will chisel out the end bricks and mortar on the outside garden wall and insert a physical strip of DC vertically and then mortar back in - does that seem like a reasonable approach? Should the DC sit right against the brick or should it be sandwiched in between the mortar?
Any help appreciated!
Thanks...
Alex