Rising Damp question

[cameorole]

Hi, I know there are a lot of threads about this issue, but I have been unable to locate one similar to my problem.

On the side wall of my semi detached house there is about 15 or so bricks that have salt deposits on them and some of the bricks faces have come off. I have had a specialist come round who checked and advised that it is being caused by rising damp.

He also pointed out that it has had a DPC in the past because you can see the drill holes. And the salt has appeared on the bricks above the DPC line.

Also he checked the internal walls and they came back OK. And we have a cellar.

He has quoted me £300 to do the DPC and put a solution on the bricks that have salt on them

So I was wondering if A, that is a good price and B because my 18 month old is draining all my money, I was wondering if this is something I can do myself as it already has drill marks where someone did it in the past.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[joe-90]

You've had a salesman round.

Post some pictures if you want a proper opinion.

 

[cameorole]

You've had a salesman round.

Post some pictures if you want a proper opinion.

Here is a picture that shows the old DC bricks, the DC done over at least 5 years ago before we moved into the house, and the bricks with salt and missing faces. View media item 50281

 

[joe-90]

The missing faces are called 'spalling' and is caused by wet bricks freezing in the frost and the ice crystals expanding and forcing the faces off. It has to be pretty wet for that to happen. Why haven't the bricks below suffered the same fate? Why are they dry?

What is inside the house at that point? Where do your pipes run and where are the chimneys.

 

[cameorole]

The missing faces are called 'spalling' and is caused by wet bricks freezing in the frost and the ice crystals expanding and forcing the faces off. It has to be pretty wet for that to happen. Why haven't the bricks below suffered the same fate? Why are they dry?

What is inside the house at that point? Where do your pipes run and where are the chimneys.

Good points, I hadn't thought of them. I have added another picture. The arrows show the marks where the two chimneys are. But both chimneys have been removed from the roof. I presume when the roof was redone.

And the ovals show areas the white areas are.

There is not a drain pipe above the side of the house.

And this side of the house shouldn't have any water pipes as the rooms are the living and dining room and the bathroom isn't above either of them.

Thanks for your help View media item 50283

 

[joe-90]

Your issues are condensation related. Warm moist air is condensing in the chimneys and also in the walls (interstitial condensation).

 

[TheVictorian]

To my eye there look to be two big damp patches rising from where the bottom of the chimneys would be?

What has happened to the chimney stack on the inside of the house?

 

[cameorole]

Your issues are condensation related. Warm moist air is condensing in the chimneys and also in the walls (interstitial condensation).

If that is the case, how would it be fixed?

 

[cameorole]

To my eye there look to be two big damp patches rising from where the bottom of the chimneys would be?

What has happened to the chimney stack on the inside of the house?

The chimney stacks are still there inside the house. There is damp around these areas in the Cellar too. But as Joe said there isn't signs of damp below the bricks that have the issue. And someone has come around and checked the interior walls with the damp reader thingy magig and it was OK

 

[joe-90]

It's not easy to sort. Best bet is to vent your chimneys to help them keep dry but you may have to just put up with it.

 

[gregers]

so going by the pics where the damp patches are directly below is the cellar??
if so then i would say as it appears you have cavity walls.open these up and clear out all the silt and crud that may have built up.
and also carry out the advice already given,vent the inside.