Wet ceiling in bedroom desperate for solution (Photo)

[brooky_agb]

Hi Folks,

We have a damp problem around the base of the chimney stack. Now you would think that its coming in around the flashing of the chimney however after heavy rain I have just been up there and it is totaly dry?!?! We had a dry spell a few weeks ago and it was still damp.

I have had three different roofing companies come to have a look and none of them know what is causing it and say the roof is slate on felt.

I don't know were to turn. We have been looking for a solution to this for two years now. The wood and beams in the roof are on great condition.

Any suggestions? I wonder if it is condensation from my partner blow drying her hair in there but I can't believe it makes that mach and it was like it before we moved in two years ago.

 

[datarebal]

Ok looks like a definate leak!! not condensation.

Have you any pictures from outside and inside the loft space ?

Looks like the roof could be a low picth so maybe very little loft space if any..

 

[brooky_agb]

Thanks for your reply. Yeah loft space is low please see attached pics. You can see white water marks but they are dry!

 

[datarebal]

First thing to do is have a look under the insulation in the problem area.
I'm sure it is going to be wet underneath.
Bricks look dry, but water has stained them at some time.
There is plenty of insulation but no ventilation from what i can see.
Check the underside of the felt in various places for moisture droplets.

Let us know what you see.

Another thought, are the flues capped in anyway? if not it is possible that rain could be coming down the flues which might drip clear of the brickwall you can see, due to the complex chimney layout.

Rain stopped here..off to work!!

 

[brooky_agb]

It's totally bonkers... I just went up again. Felt feels totally dry, plasterboard on the back feels like it could be slightly damp. Very sublte though. No sign of anything.

Picture makes the wet look worse than it actually is. It doesn't look as dark in real life. Don't know what the hell to do.

 

[^woody^]

You've got clear salt staining on the stack, indicating water running down. So its either a problem with the render or roof/stack junction

 

[brooky_agb]

Hmm.... thanks for all your feedback. So what woudl you do if you were me? Should I get a roofer to rip up the tiles down the side of the chimney and start again? I was acutally up there in the summer replacing the TV arial (I didn't take Emu with me) and the render looks good.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Cant see to clearly, but is that a lead flashing over the tiles, left hand side of stack, from render down.
Should be soakers fitted under each tile, with the flashing over them, but looks like the flashing is dressed over the tile.

 

[brooky_agb]

Yeah I think it is lead over tile. So I should get my roofer buddy from the pub to come and rip them off and do it again properly with soakers?

 

[ladylola]

Cant see to clearly, but is that a lead flashing over the tiles, left hand side of stack, from render down.
Should be soakers fitted under each tile, with the flashing over them, but looks like the flashing is dressed over the tile.

It looks like that detail all the way up to the ridge to me and I think cotswold point merits more inspection as the detail looks very suspect.I'd also like to see how it is weather around the ridge itsself too. Another possibility is the brick render junction. That again looks an odd detail and it may be possible water is finding its way down behind the render , chances are it would sound hollow when taped if this were the case.

 

[joe-90]

Climb in the loft when it rains.

BTW what's that ugly white thing around the stack? Never seen that before.

 

[brooky_agb]

Climb in the loft when it rains.

BTW what's that ugly white thing around the stack? Never seen that before.

What the thing I nearly killed myself painting this summer? No idea.. Blame the @sshole who rendered a nice brick Victorian school in the 70's. LOL

Picture taken when we first moved in and spend every living breathing second doing DIY. In the whole picture it looks ok. I've since painted the whole house twice.... killer

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Yes, check for soakers all the way up.

 

[datarebal]

All guessing here from pics nothing obvious, the flashing over the slates looks like it may have been added later on.,get another roofer to take a good look.

strip a few slates out if need be...

 

[catlad]

water sneaking in behind the rendered chimney, thats my guess.