Damp damp and more damp

[Melancholy]

I have just spent ages reading the forums on the spectre of rising damp

I have had three men in :shock: who all tell me different things and each quoted astronomical prices to deal with my little damp patch where the plaster has come away.

Without going into all the ins and outs, how can I really find out what the problem is? will I have to instruct an independent expert?

OK heres the gen. 2 up 2 down 1900 house. Exisiting chemical DPC. crumbling plaster above skirting board on inside of outside wall. no visible bridging of dpc.

heeeeelp

 

[Nemesis]

If it's a chemical DPC - how do you know if it's bridged or not, or if indeed it ever worked?

What are they quoting and what do they say needs doing?

 

[Mark]

Indeed!

Construction material ? Brick/Stone/Cob/whatever ? Any render ? How low does it go and whats it made of?

Inside floor is concrete / suspended timber / mud ?

Outside floor level is higher / lower than inside ?

Drains / gutters OK ?

Outside adjacent to wall is garden/concrete/road ?

did someone alreadt pay extortionate amounts for replastering ?
what sort of plaster / paint on the inside ?

 

[Melancholy]

If it's a chemical DPC - how do you know if it's bridged or not, or if indeed it ever worked?

Ok, i dont know if its bridged...

What are they quoting and what do they say needs doing?

Company1- wanted £2,300 to install the dreaded electo-osmosis system all the way around

Company 2 - wanted £750 to remove plaster from chimney breast, inject damp proof course above existing one about 5 foot either side of damaged plaster, and re-plaster. This chap came half an hour to early so thes edetails were relayed by a friend - oh, he said that the dsmp was due to water coming down the chimney...

Company 3 spotted damp around three wall with protimeter. Wanted to inject dpc into mortar joints above skiring on three walls and a vertical dpc at side of front door on party wall.

 

[Gervase]

Bloody hell!
The first and most effective course of action is to tell all three to bugger off (or whatever phrase it is that you use in your part of the world!).
Then remember all that's been written here (and elsewhere) on the subject of damp.
Then sit back, have a glass or three of wine and prepare yourself for the long game.
For the fact is, damp is never sorted quickly. The most effective methods may take a few weeks to show results, and most will take months rather than weeks.
My guess is that the crumbling paster above the skirting owes its origins to something on the other side of the wall. It could be:
1) Ground levels outside higher than floor level inside;
2) Cracked or leaking guttering or downpipes letting water fall and splash onto bottom of wall;
3) Inappropriate cement render or pain on outside wall, trapping moisture inside (a problem exacerbated by concrete slab and DPM floor inside);
4) Injected DPM already installed and forcing salts into the plaster.

That's just a few thoughts. The main one, however, is that you don't need an injected DPC.

 

[Melancholy]

Construction material ? Brick/Stone/Cob/whatever ? Any render ? How low does it go and whats it made of?

Brick. Outside of property is rendered. gap of six inches from ground. Old bullet holes for previous dpc visible.

Inside floor is concrete / suspended timber / mud ?

Concrete. Old cellar was filled in apparently

Outside floor level is higher / lower than inside ?


Lower

Drains / gutters OK ?

Yep

Outside adjacent to wall is garden/concrete/road ?

Gravel strip running alongside outside/side wall of house where damp problem is. Paving slabs to front of house, then small wall, then road.

did someone alreadt pay extortionate amounts for replastering ?
what sort of plaster / paint on the inside ?

Havent got a clue. Spoke to neighbour who was around when house was done up with a grant by the seller. Get the impression that a good job was done for what its worth. no idea of type of plaster. I painted plaster with emulsion - walls were previously painted.

ooeerr im sounding like a bimbo.....

 

[Nemesis]

One is a loony. Totally ignore. There is no evidence at all to suggest it works.

Two may have a point re it coming down the chimney - maybe? But the solution - ignore. If it's coming down the chimney - then stop it!!

Three - ho ho ho ho ho. Oh yes. Well, they have to make their fortunes somehow!

Can you post a picture?

 

[Melancholy]

Erm, how do i post a pic?[/img]

 

[Nemesis]

Have you a digital camera?

 

[Melancholy]

yep

 

[Nemesis]

Take pic load into My Pictures or wherever on your computer...

 

[Melancholy]

ok

 

[Melancholy]

ok pic ready to post - how do i upload into here?

 

[Nemesis]

Hang on - I explained all this in a thread just a few days ago!

Wish I could recall which...

Anyhow - you have to upload to an external host.

You can register for Photobucket, which is useful, and free, but for a one off try

http://host.photogalaxy.net/

assuming the pic file is not too large.

Load it up, click on BROWSE

It should bring you to My Pictures. Find your pic, click on it, (may be double click) then click OPEN

In the box next to BROWSE there should now be words!!!!


Next: Click UPLOAD on Photogalaxy. it will take a few moments.

Next: you should get your pic and a box full of incomprehensible stuff. Next to Forum BB Code - it's the bottom box.

Click on that box - it should all go blue.

Then CUT


and in one of these boxes here where you write your post, PASTE that gobbledegook.

Try preview.

If it has worked - the pic will appear.


If so - post the post.

Try it out first on the trying it out part of the site, although you can always do it here in the thread - if it doesn't work you can edit it out!

Try it, experiment, and if you have questions ask (I may have gone to bed but can answer picture posting questions tomorrow!).

 

[Melancholy]

[Open Image] [Hosted by PhotoGalaxy.com]

 

[Nemesis]

Well, after that, curing the damp should be a cinch!!

Is that the only spot?

 

[Nemesis]

Is that an external wall?

 

[Melancholy]

Wahey Nemesis I did it! Theres the offending part of the wall.

Hmm I like the idea of sitting back with the plonk Gervaise...hic...

I hate the idea of being ripped off by the damp course sharks. One company asked me if I was single??!!! I quickly got a male friend to look well installed on my sofa by the time this shark came round to give me a quote...

Bit worried about the idea of dodgy render or paint Gervase. The render seems in good condition. It was painted with a clear sealant when I bought the property 7 years ago on the advice of the surveyor. It was previously unpainted render and 2 years ago I had it painted with masonary paint .

 

[Melancholy]

Yes, its an external wall

 

[Melancholy]

Thats the only visible spot. I found a brown line on the party wall near the front door which wiped off. But those damp meters reckoned damp was everywhere...