Replace Bricks in Load Bearing Wall
- Thread starter DevlinT
- Start date
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Yes, just don't do too many in one go!
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I’m just see what the art of the possible is. The bottom row of bricks are really damp and stink to high heaven. An independent damp specialist has advised on what he believes the source of the damp to be (faulty/leaking chimney). I figured replacing the really bad bricks would be a shortcut to getting rid of the damp smell once we fix the source of the issue.
Anywhere near a drain?
Hi JohnD
I don’t think so. The wall separates the kitchen and living room. It’s a solid brick wall. The wall adjacent to it is a party wall separating me and our only neighbour as we’re semi-detached. There could very well be a drain underneath I can’t see. It’s so difficult to say.
The damp surveyor reckoned the chimney flaunching at the top of the stack in our front room is faulty leading to moisture ingress which makes its way down the stack, and when it gets down, essentially migrating along the party wall and then into the brick wall. Only the bottom of the brick wall is badly damp. Attached some photos.
We’re replacing our laminate flooring so might be a good chance to really get stuck in underneath and see if anything comes to light.
Oh one other thing - the previous owners stuck a nice thick coating of paint on the brick wall which he said to remove as it was not letting it breathe.
I don’t think so. The wall separates the kitchen and living room. It’s a solid brick wall. The wall adjacent to it is a party wall separating me and our only neighbour as we’re semi-detached. There could very well be a drain underneath I can’t see. It’s so difficult to say.
The damp surveyor reckoned the chimney flaunching at the top of the stack in our front room is faulty leading to moisture ingress which makes its way down the stack, and when it gets down, essentially migrating along the party wall and then into the brick wall. Only the bottom of the brick wall is badly damp. Attached some photos.
We’re replacing our laminate flooring so might be a good chance to really get stuck in underneath and see if anything comes to light.
Oh one other thing - the previous owners stuck a nice thick coating of paint on the brick wall which he said to remove as it was not letting it breathe.
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Hello all
Thought I'd update this thread with an update. We had a second surveyor come around, but this time we managed to lift up the floorboard adjacent to the damp brick wall. Under the chipboard underlay was a plastic membrane simply laid over the concrete floor underneath. According to the damp surveyor this was completely the wrong thing to do, which is difficult to disagree with. He went on to say that he believes there is no damp proof course under the house and water was making its way up the walls hence the damp everywhere.
His solution didn't exactly brighten my day. It was to remove the current concrete underneath the existing flooring, install a damp proof membrane, re-concrete (actually he mentioned screeding), hack off existing plaster up to 1m, do a chemical DPC into the walls, then re-plaster.
Obviously this is just his opinion but underneath the plastic membrane it is certainly very wet.
The previous owners have shafted us in a royal way.
Thought I'd update this thread with an update. We had a second surveyor come around, but this time we managed to lift up the floorboard adjacent to the damp brick wall. Under the chipboard underlay was a plastic membrane simply laid over the concrete floor underneath. According to the damp surveyor this was completely the wrong thing to do, which is difficult to disagree with. He went on to say that he believes there is no damp proof course under the house and water was making its way up the walls hence the damp everywhere.
His solution didn't exactly brighten my day. It was to remove the current concrete underneath the existing flooring, install a damp proof membrane, re-concrete (actually he mentioned screeding), hack off existing plaster up to 1m, do a chemical DPC into the walls, then re-plaster.
Obviously this is just his opinion but underneath the plastic membrane it is certainly very wet.
The previous owners have shafted us in a royal way.
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