Dear all, I am struggling to find a solution to the damp showing on a north facing exterior wall. We bought the property, ( brick timber framed barn, thought to be built in 1650). It has been badly converted and when we bought it had a cement based render to the outside which we removed. The sitting room has a dominating inglenook style open fire place which has been rendered internally with cement to the front but with plasterboard to the sides. The alcoves either side are also plaster boarded and the left side internally has a vent in the skirting. The left side is dry internally and externally. The right hand side has no vent but smells musty and has signs of damp internally and outside. We have re rendered outside with lime render and lime paint but the damp persists visibly on the outside on the area of the chimney breast from the ground to about 6 feet up. There is a concrete gully to the outside of this wall. The previous owner layed a concrete floor to the room after a flood and I think lowered the floor level by an inch. How can I dry the chimney breast out on the outside and inside of the house?
- Thread starter Ellabella
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MatthewC
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Hi Ellabella - welcome to the forum
Just noticed this a long way down and thought to bump it up as first posts get delayed in appearing.
I'm sure others will ask for photos so I thought I'd ask first! Without seeing the layout it is difficult to be sure but it certainly sounds as though you have a source of water here, which needs fixing. What is the ground level in relation to the floor level? I think your concrete gully could be a cause here, and I'm thinking "French Drain" as a possible solution, although that depends on the actual layout.
Also, how long have you had the place? Drying out takes years, not weeks, after removing cement render.
Matthew
Just noticed this a long way down and thought to bump it up as first posts get delayed in appearing.
I'm sure others will ask for photos so I thought I'd ask first! Without seeing the layout it is difficult to be sure but it certainly sounds as though you have a source of water here, which needs fixing. What is the ground level in relation to the floor level? I think your concrete gully could be a cause here, and I'm thinking "French Drain" as a possible solution, although that depends on the actual layout.
Also, how long have you had the place? Drying out takes years, not weeks, after removing cement render.
Matthew
88v8
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Mmmm yes, pictures!
Drying out once any cause of damp has been removed, rule of thumb, a year per foot of wall thickness.
Ivor
Drying out once any cause of damp has been removed, rule of thumb, a year per foot of wall thickness.
Ivor
Zebra
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The concrete floor might not be helping. Did they put in a damp proof membrane? Is there a dpc in the walls, perhaps inserted when the conversion was undertaken? What part of the building is brick, and what part timber frame?