Penetrating damp

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The house is approx 80 years old and has a chimney breast on the gable end which projects beyond the house and is of single brick construction (no cavity) and appears to be subject to water penetration (the rest of the walls are cavity walls).

There is also an adjoining internal partition brick wall wall at right angles to and keyed into the single brick wall which also seems to be wicking the damp from the single wall.

Any advice on treating cause rather than symptoms.
 
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where is the wet patch?

all over the wall?

high up?

low down?

on the chimney?

all rooms or just some?

post some photos if you can
 
Thanks for the reply. Sorry for the delay at bit new to this.
There are two rooms involved one behind the other. the dividing wall is between the two rooms. It is at right angles to the gable wall which has the damp. There are two cupboards one either side of the dividing wall on the gable wall and this is where the dampness first appeared.
It appeared on the edge of the cupboard initially and when we removed both cupboards the damp meter registered damp about half way up the wall in both cupboards.This is when we discovered that the gable wall which comprises the chimneys and the cupboards is single brick. The rest of the walls are double brick cavity and are fine. Nowhere else in the house is affected by any damp.
The only damp in the two rooms is in these two cupboards where the back wall is of solid single brick construction. The damp appears to be coming through the back wall of the cupboards.
I will try to post a picture which might help.
 
When the house was built, the fires were probably going for lengthy periods, which dried out the chimney. Old houses need old methods.
 
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The only damp in the two rooms is in these two cupboards
damp inside a cupboard is typical of condensation. The cupboard keeps the back wall colder than the rest of the room. Increase ventilation and see if it dries out now the weather is warmer.

A chimney needs to be ventilated top and bottom in each flue or it will get condensation inside which will soak through the bricks and usually leave a salty, brown or yellow stain.
 

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