Rising damp issue

[sparkyshark]

Hi, hope I posted in the correct forum.

Recently we decided to decorate our rooms and while doing so we also got the electric sockets put into the walls. When this was done the debris appeared to have felt damp and rich in colour compared to the other side of the house. Didn't think much of it and discounted it as an issue.

We put some lining paper on the walls around 2 weeks ago (yet to be painted) and this morning I noticed that some green/blue patches were showing next to where the electrical sockets were. The sockets are located a few inches above the floor boards.

This wasn't an issue previously, therefore we must have got closer to the outside wall issue/dampness. See pictures.

So the question I have is what do i need to do to fix it. Doing some research dryrod damp course rods came up as an option. I was thinking of using them and after a good scrub of the area thought I'd paint it with bitumen paint, what do you guys think I should do please.

There was also plenty of wood lice coming out from the mortar, where the paint is now gone bad.

Thanks very much.

Cheers,
Sparky

 

[sircerebus666]

First thing you need to do is to fix the cause of the damp not hide it

You have a downpipe where you have damp and the ground next to the wall also looks damp could be a collapsed drain

It looks like you have a solid wall or is it just my eyesight and you have a cavity?

That electric cable you're pointing to does it go into the socket that has damp around it?

You mention floorboards do you have a suspended floor? If so can you get underneath it to have a look around?

 

[sparkyshark]

As you mentioned, so I did a little further digging into this and I found the issue. It appeared to be a hairline crack at first and I could clearly see some water leaking when the loo was flushed. It's likely I damaged it further as i was trying to get to it from the top (its not very strong the clay pipe) and it must have been leaking for absolutely years - who knows!

Any ideas on how I should go about fixing this - its not in the best of locations and with a big step to the left access is limited also. I definitely want to try and avoid going any further than the connecting join towards the bottom as it starts to go much deeper into the ground.

Cheers.
Sparky

 

[sircerebus666]

You may get away with cutting it square and using a flexi pipe connector to rejoin the two

It looks like there's a joint further down that you might be able to utilise too

 

[sparkyshark]

Good timing! I just got back from digging further around the bottom joint as the mud still looked to wet for my liking. So there is yet another leak where the broken pipe joins right underneath the join.
I've got no choice but to remove that section also.

We're going to have to remove half the step and dig much wider to complete it. Would cutting it with an angle grinder make the cut? I've located the adaptors you mention on screwfix. As i'm doing all this work I'm now also thinking of removing the cast iron pipe as i may as well take the opportunity to move the toilet position (still decorating) and rather than muck about with cast iron pipe I may as well use the plastic pipe to make the new joins for that also!

This is ending up to being a big job!! Thanks for your comments.

 

[sircerebus666]

Angle grinder will do it

Like you say might as well use the opportunity whilst you have it

Look at it this way at least your walls won't be damp any more!

 

[sparkyshark]

Lets hope the sunshine stays out :- cheers again.