Replacing Joists
- Thread starter Rabmac1
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Are you talking about a full height basement 6ft to 8ft high? Or a sub-area/crawl space below the suspended floor?
Is the basement ventilated?
When did the plumber install the condensate pipe/boiler?
Is the basement ventilated?
When did the plumber install the condensate pipe/boiler?
Hi Ree,
The basement is more of a enlarged crawl space. As you enter it from the outside it is about 4 feet high and gradually decreases to about 2-3 feet.
The boiler was installed about January 2013 and since I put the bucket down a few days ago to catch the drip from the condensate pipe it, it has caught about 0.5 - 1 pint of water. Surprisingly there is not much mould only wet walls with some efflorescence and wet rot on the joist ends.
The basement is ventilated with a large air brick close to the affected area. I have not explored the whole basement yet but am sure I have seen another vent at the front of the house.
The basement is more of a enlarged crawl space. As you enter it from the outside it is about 4 feet high and gradually decreases to about 2-3 feet.
The boiler was installed about January 2013 and since I put the bucket down a few days ago to catch the drip from the condensate pipe it, it has caught about 0.5 - 1 pint of water. Surprisingly there is not much mould only wet walls with some efflorescence and wet rot on the joist ends.
The basement is ventilated with a large air brick close to the affected area. I have not explored the whole basement yet but am sure I have seen another vent at the front of the house.
There's no way that the condensate moisture could have made its way up from the soil oversite through the brickwork as rising damp in an 18 month period.
Which suggests that the joist tails have been fungal infected for some time, perhaps due to:
Lack of ventilation, penetrating or rising damp - any or all could have had a part in causing the decay.
As usual, pics of the sub area and front and rear elevations will help.
You should meanwhile test for decay each joist tail, front and rear walls, with a small probing screwdriver. And clean out any air brick or vent.
Which suggests that the joist tails have been fungal infected for some time, perhaps due to:
Lack of ventilation, penetrating or rising damp - any or all could have had a part in causing the decay.
As usual, pics of the sub area and front and rear elevations will help.
You should meanwhile test for decay each joist tail, front and rear walls, with a small probing screwdriver. And clean out any air brick or vent.
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Here are the pictures: 1st picture is how the plumber who installed our boiler left the condensate pipe.
Have found what we think may be a small amount of dry rot which is probably caused from a previous event.
Here are the pictures of the wet rot on the joist
Here is a picture of what I think is the original damp proof that seems to be eroding. It is a tar like substance.
This is the current ventilation:
Someone asked earlier what size the joists were: They are 2inch by 6inch
Have found what we think may be a small amount of dry rot which is probably caused from a previous event.
Here are the pictures of the wet rot on the joist
Here is a picture of what I think is the original damp proof that seems to be eroding. It is a tar like substance.
This is the current ventilation:
Someone asked earlier what size the joists were: They are 2inch by 6inch
I doubt that dry rot is present, although theres some white substance that you indicate tight aginst the floor boards - from previous water damage? But wet rot is clearly active and has been, probably for many years.
The wet rot has been caused by penetrating moisture, and perhaps a lack of ventilation.
When you've identified all the joist ends that need cutting off and replacing with bolt-ons come back on here. You probably have an intermediate sleeper wall(s) with wood plates carrying the 2" x 6"'s - also check the plates for decay.
If you scanned a floor footprint showing the wet rot points to be dealt with, and the position of any front and rear elevation air bricks it would help.
The external render was applied for a purpose, usually to protect against penetrating damp - i presume you have solid walls -but its not protected your joist tails.
The condensate pipe is harmless in that area, perhaps extend it to just above the soil. - from the pic, nothing to do with the damp or efflorescence.
The wet rot has been caused by penetrating moisture, and perhaps a lack of ventilation.
When you've identified all the joist ends that need cutting off and replacing with bolt-ons come back on here. You probably have an intermediate sleeper wall(s) with wood plates carrying the 2" x 6"'s - also check the plates for decay.
If you scanned a floor footprint showing the wet rot points to be dealt with, and the position of any front and rear elevation air bricks it would help.
The external render was applied for a purpose, usually to protect against penetrating damp - i presume you have solid walls -but its not protected your joist tails.
The condensate pipe is harmless in that area, perhaps extend it to just above the soil. - from the pic, nothing to do with the damp or efflorescence.
Thanks Joe & Ree for taking time to help.
I reckon there has been previous water damage but don't know if it is still present or if it has been remedied. How would I know?
I posted a picture of the air vent above and I have checked that the vent is clear, which it is. It is about 8 inch in length and 6 inch in height. This vent is probably about 4 feet of the ground at the back of the house.
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If we start at the joist closest to the pipe from the boiler, that is the one with the most wet rot (probably about 2 - 2.5 foot affected). As you move away from the first joist the amount of wet rot on the joist gets less but all 10 joists are affected.
The wall on which the joists sits can be seen below. The joists sit on wooden plates and they are also damaged but not as bad as the joists.
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Inside the house there are two lairs of brick then a cavity and then the outer wall. In the cavity someone has sprayed some kind of expansion foam which is hard to touch and is only located under the window.
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I reckon there has been previous water damage but don't know if it is still present or if it has been remedied. How would I know?
I posted a picture of the air vent above and I have checked that the vent is clear, which it is. It is about 8 inch in length and 6 inch in height. This vent is probably about 4 feet of the ground at the back of the house.
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If we start at the joist closest to the pipe from the boiler, that is the one with the most wet rot (probably about 2 - 2.5 foot affected). As you move away from the first joist the amount of wet rot on the joist gets less but all 10 joists are affected.
The wall on which the joists sits can be seen below. The joists sit on wooden plates and they are also damaged but not as bad as the joists.
===============================================
===============================================
Inside the house there are two lairs of brick then a cavity and then the outer wall. In the cavity someone has sprayed some kind of expansion foam which is hard to touch and is only located under the window.
===========================================
===========================================
From your descriptions such as "layers of brick" its difficult to determine what your wall construction is.
Whatever, the soft sandy material should all be scraped away.
The plates showing minor damage at the exposed edge will probably be pretty rotten in the concealed, in the wall portions. Removing all plates embedded in the wall(s) and bricking in the gaps, might just be a DIY job too far. But if you are ready to do it then I could take you through the procedure?
There's also the matter of the bolt-on's. Why not attempt an easy bolt-on and a short length of accessible plate and see how it goes?
Presumably, the old vent is doing nothing now, so why not remove all of it. If you smash it where its in the wall section then it might reveal how the wall is constructed?
Why has the plaster been removed in the window area?
Just saying: if i ask you questions it would help me to help you if you answer each one.
Whatever, the soft sandy material should all be scraped away.
The plates showing minor damage at the exposed edge will probably be pretty rotten in the concealed, in the wall portions. Removing all plates embedded in the wall(s) and bricking in the gaps, might just be a DIY job too far. But if you are ready to do it then I could take you through the procedure?
There's also the matter of the bolt-on's. Why not attempt an easy bolt-on and a short length of accessible plate and see how it goes?
Presumably, the old vent is doing nothing now, so why not remove all of it. If you smash it where its in the wall section then it might reveal how the wall is constructed?
Why has the plaster been removed in the window area?
Just saying: if i ask you questions it would help me to help you if you answer each one.
This is my drawing of what the wall construction is. This is a top down view of what you would if you looked under the window ledge. Let me know if you require more pics.
With regards to the old vent, you are correct in that it is doing nothing but as far as I am aware it contains asbestos so I don't think I will tackle that.
The plaster in the windows area was the first place I noticed a damp problem. Because of the height I did not think that was rising damp so assumed the problem was coming from somewhere else. I checked outside the house and could not see anything so decided to remove this section of plaster to see if I could locate the problem. The only possible source I can see is the foam in the cavity which is allowing moisture/water from outside to pass to the inside but I cannot say for certain.
The boiler pipe issue and problems in the cellar were not noticed until after I had opened up the wall.
My main concern at the moment is ensuring that I locate the source or sources of all the problems before I attempt the repair. I have obviously found one in the water pipe but am unsure if there are more. The fact that the joist problem looks like it has been ongoing for more than a year worries me that there is another source I have not located.
With regards to the old vent, you are correct in that it is doing nothing but as far as I am aware it contains asbestos so I don't think I will tackle that.
The plaster in the windows area was the first place I noticed a damp problem. Because of the height I did not think that was rising damp so assumed the problem was coming from somewhere else. I checked outside the house and could not see anything so decided to remove this section of plaster to see if I could locate the problem. The only possible source I can see is the foam in the cavity which is allowing moisture/water from outside to pass to the inside but I cannot say for certain.
The boiler pipe issue and problems in the cellar were not noticed until after I had opened up the wall.
My main concern at the moment is ensuring that I locate the source or sources of all the problems before I attempt the repair. I have obviously found one in the water pipe but am unsure if there are more. The fact that the joist problem looks like it has been ongoing for more than a year worries me that there is another source I have not located.
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