Source of damp?

[WH-MA]

Afternoon All,

Having moved into a new house (1930ish) I can't help but think that one of the front rooms (bay window) smells of damp. I have been airing it none stop hoping it was left over dog smell but now suspect it is damp. I have removed all the bushes/weeds that were in front of the bay and suspect the pointing around ground level could be at fault, is this possible?

The pointing/brick work to the side of the house appears in equally bad condition.

I racked move of the soil back for these picture so it was actually higher covering the lower area.

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Its certainly not the best pointing we've ever seen, I'm afraid.....could you give us a pic or two from further back?
If that's the damp proof course visible in your first and second picture, the ground outside needs to be lowered to two courses of brick below that.
John

 

[WH-MA]

Thanks John. I suspect the DPC is two bricks higher as per my finger.

Before I cleared the soil and bushed I suspect the soil went up to one course below.

 

[Burnerman]

Thanks, that's much clearer.
Have you lifted any floorboards within the bay, just to see if there's any signs there?
John

 

[WH-MA]

Not yet, they are nearly too good to lift!

I had a good look at them at the edges where they go below the skirting and can't see anything.

Our rad is off on the side wall and I am thinking of moving it into the bay so maybe that will be a good time to have a look.

 

[vinn]

The ground is high on the right & dropping to the left. Can you indicate the FFL line on the bay?
The pointing needs raking out to 22mm and re-pointing with a better mix.
The elevation & bay appear to be solid walls.
A small 9" x 3" air brick is not enough - the frontage needs more air bricks.
Removing some bay skirting and a few floor boards might show any signs of damp - or crawl under and examine all the joisting.

Unswept, unventilated chimney flues can smell damp.

If you post a photo from inside the bay perhaps a better opinion could be given?

 

[WH-MA]

Thanks all. I'll measure up rough where floor level is tomorrow and try and lift some boards. The room is currently carpeted but I can see that previously the floor has been professional prepped with sanded boards and varnished over throughout.

 

[Burnerman]

Hopefully you'll find a nice draught down there!
Are the adjacent properties similar, just so you can compare the number of air bricks?
John

 

[WH-MA]

As a small update I now suspect that the damp is coming from the right of bay around the corner. It looks like one of the pressure valves on the megaflo has a leak and is pouring water out the tundish which vents about 6in from another air brick. The whole area is soaked so logically that could be an obvious source.

 

[vinn]

Counting the airbricks on adjoining properties would be as useful & nonsensical as counting the bricks in each elevation.

OP, why not post photos of the whole elevation at ground level and photos of the newly reported Megaflo business?
Also post in the plumbing forum for your Megaflo difficulties - what you describe is quite common and simple to repair.

OP,Until you systematically remove each possibility you wont remove the cause.

 

[Burnerman]

If I may dare to qualify my nonsensical air brick counting statement.....
Imagine four detached cottages all in a row - circa 1930's, obviously by the same builder.
One cottage had two air bricks in the north elevation, the others had five....maybe fitted later, more than likely.
The two air bricked cottage had some damp on the north east wall and a couple of joists, but the others reported none.
Guess which one I bought?

 

[vinn]

What are you talking about - how does this weird selection process, seemingly specific for how you buy a house, fit in with the thread?
Is this some bizarre roundabout way of advising the OP to sell his house and buy his neighbour's - that's if any neighbour's exist.
Outside the thread, you have no idea what the situation is for the OP's house.

 

[Burnerman]

Indeed, neither do you.
When I purchased my own property and discovered the damp, I looked at the others and thought - maybe they had had a problem too at some time? When I asked the owners, only one knew about the extra air bricks and even he didn't know when they were done.
Air bricks installed, and a much greater draught below my floor now - so hopefully that's the end of it.

 

[vinn]

"Indeed, neither do you" - but you are the one making claims not me.

I'm not going to go on with this nonsense - how your posts are supposed to fit in or advance the thread I dont know.