Wet bricks

[HelenLaflin]

Hi,
My boyfriend and I are in the process of selling our 3 year old flat. It is first floor. About 2 months ago, we noticed an area of darker bricks (seemingly wet - not there before) around our lounge window. No damp inside. Waiting for NHBC and builder to visit on 7th March. We just can't work out what it is - as it goes roof, dry bit and then wet bit!!! Any ideas??

 

[ChapiTheBricky]

got a photo?

 

[HelenLaflin]

Yes! Took these photos today in rain. So definitely linked to rain, and not a burst pipe. Any thoughts??? Ours is window at bottom of picture. You can probably see discoloured bricks around window.

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[joinerjohn]

Looks like the guttering , could be leaking. In the first photo, you can see water droplets underneath the guttering. I suppose if the wind was blowing in the right direction, it could blow any water dripping, on to the brickwork.

 

[HelenLaflin]

Thanks. That's what we have been thinking.

Do you think discolouration of bricks is where they have been getting wet over past few weeks? Will they dry out??

 

[joinerjohn]

If the weather remains dry , then they should dry out.
Just one more thought,, Is there a boiler flue outlet anywhere in the vicinity of the area where the bricks appear damp? Just thought it could be the plume from this causing the damp. Perhaps a photo with a wider view of the area would help.??

 

[HelenLaflin]

Um don't think so. Apartments have electric heaters and water immersion heaters. Would there be something visible on brickwork?

 

[^woody^]

That damp is on course where there is a horizontal DPC - as per the weep holes

There is some water getting into the cavity somewhere above this course and exiting on the joint - and by the looks of it it is excessive

It is not likely to be related to the gutter, and is either a pipe or overflow from that location in the top storey, or a leaking roof at the eaves

 

[HelenLaflin]

Thank you very much. Can you put that in layman's terms please?!!
And what can we do about it?

 

[^woody^]

I thought I had

There is a cavity between the outer bricks and the inner wall. A horizontal DPC (roll of felt) is built into the wall to stop any water which might get in from running down the cavity and dripping out from the top of the windows - making the room wet above the windows

Normally only a bit of water gets in and those weep hole let it drip out and you hardly notice

You have a lot of water getting in, and you need to find out were it is coming from

After looking at it again, it seems that that level is the same level as the upper floor, so there may be some pipes running in the floor or just above it.

But another common cause is defective felt at the eaves, so rain does not run into the gutter, but runs back towards the wall and down the cavity

 

[HelenLaflin]

Do you think NHBC or original builders will be interested - was it a fault at time of building?

 

[HelenLaflin]

DO you think NHBC or original builders who built apartments will be interested - I mean was it a fault at time of building??

 

[stuart45]

I would guess that the flats are timber framed and the tray is for the cavity barrier fire stop, although timber framed buildings sometimes have weeps under the eaves to vent the cavity. You woudn't normally get much water through the brickwork here as it's sheltered.

 

[HelenLaflin]

Is that good or bad news?!!!

 

[^woody^]

You need to find out exactly what is the cause, before you will know if the defect is covered under the buildmark scheme

It may be a recent problem and nothing to do with the original build

Do you have access to the room above or is that someone else flat? Someone needs to look in the space at the eaves in that top room, to see if there is a problem there