Damp stone walls upstairs

[KN]

Well, our house has been completely repointed outside and we are enjoying our first winter having moved in last July.

With all the rain we had a month of so ago we have found it just leaks through to the inside (mainly west and south, second and first floors) and over some sash windows is dripping through.

As you may remember the house has been derelict for 50 years so it is the first time it has had a roof.

Do you think it is just time before the walls will stop soaking in the rain?Which is what I am hoping, or do I need to do something?

All suggestions welcome.

KN

 

[Gervase]

What's your guttering like? Penetrating damp upstairs like that is often the result of guttering not being up to the job and letting water spill over and get blown onto the wall.
Dipping damp does sound a bit worrisome, though. What sort of walls has the house got, and is there any limewash or render on the outside?

 

[KN]

Thanks Gervase.

The gutter is behind the parapet, it was covered in a material was then coated to become waterproof and the the water travels along to the hoppers. It has an upstand up under the roof so I don't think it is that unless it has punchered in many places. You can see where damp has come through at back of the fireplace on the outside wall.
The house is built of stone, repointed with lime morter and then lime plaster on the inside.

Many Thanks

Karen

 

[KN]

Actually what is Dipping damp Gervase or anyone else?

Thanks

KN

 

[worms]

Actually what is Dipping damp Gervase or anyone else?

Its a typo...

dripping

 

[KN]

Thanks worms, wondered why I couldn't find anything about it.

I'll try dripping now.
Karen

 

[worms]

I think Gervase might be suggesting that if the water is coming in fast enough or in enough volume to actually drip (as you indicated in the original posting), then it is more worrying than if the wall is just getting a bit damp.

 

[KN]

Thanks Worms.

Damp patches are evident on walls, west and south mostly and in back of a fireplace also, and around some sash windows.
Dripping only through top of a few sash windows which are set into stone window surrounds.

From the outside, walls are still looking very wet from the rain a few weeks ago now.

I am just wondering if they are so wet now but will they dry out over time. House has had no roof for 50 years and it has been watertight about 1 year.

Will they dry or is this damp problem going to stay?

 

[worms]

has been watertight about 1 year.

So are you suggesting that it has only sprung a leak since the recent heavy rain? Doesn't sound like the general, still-to-dry-out sort of problem to me, but hopefully now that this thread is back to the top, you will get further input from those with real knowledge on roofing and rainwater goods.

 

[KN]

The windows only start leaking when we have days of heavy/driving rain. The damp in the Fireplace just appeared after a few days of constant rain and has now left a stain in the lime plaster that is unpainted. Around the windows the lime plaster (again unpainted) still looks damp now. It must be a month since the heavy rain.

Thanks

 

[Nemesis]

I suggest you look carefully at the sealing around the windows - a very small gap allows in a great deal of rain.

I supect that some of the problem is the guttering too, which may not be perfectly sealed.

 

[Jon Maine]

Very often lime built buildings were limewashed externally to get over this very problem. it could be that the stone is a bit porous or that the pointing is too. I would inspect closely the areas of masonry above and around the windows looking for cracks, holes or anything which could be letting water through.
Limewash will fill in all those cracks and divets.
Might be worthwhile talking to your local conservation officer who may be able to advise.

Good luck

Jon

 

[KN]

Thanks Jon

I hope it isn't the pointing as its all been racked out and re-pointed. Not sure about limewashing as it is still an ancient monument and it would be a massive area to do the whole house.

Hows the heat pump doing?

Ice Energy turned ours on in October, fantastic to have heat now.

Karen

 

[Jon Maine]

Was the pointing putty lime or hydraulic? How deep was the raking and was it overseen to be done properly?

Limewash is basically lime based paint in mellow colours, many houses including my own were limewashed externally to cure damp issues.

Heat pumps working well, had my second comissioned 4 weeks ago. I am starting to plaster and build studwalls and hope to be pushing hard over the next few months.

Jon

 

[KN]

Pointing was approved by English Heritage,and I think it is hydraulic as it was a powder. Does that sound right?
All old was raked out and alot was already missing so very deep.

Prehaps should post a picture but I can't remember how.

p.s
We went staight in to two heat pumps and just about to get the Grant Money back. Not sure about the electricity used as we are yet to get a bill.

Good luck with the next phase.

 

[Jon Maine]

Pointing in hydraulic gives a more stable result, however if it is not tended and applied properly it can end up with cracks and hollow sections. I would suggest you try tapping your joints to see how solid they sound, especially in the areas above those windows. If the joints sound hollow there is likely the answer to your problem. If it is allowed to dry to quickly again it will fail.

I should initially check this out as it is the first place to look.

I too am about to receive some N Power grant money from Ice Energy

Jon

 

[Lime]

Just a guess but I would look at the roof's waterproof breathing membrane (felt) from inside the loft near the eaves where it runs into the guttering.
Look and feel for a heavy bulge filled with water.
you have to feel as far into the eaves above the house wall as you can.

Sometimes when roofs are renewed the felt is run down the rafters and then folds slightly up into the gutters so that there is an area that can trap and hold water.
Normally this goes unnoticed.
however, if there is a leak in the roof, water runs down the felt and gets trapped.
Often the water overflows into the gutter.
However sometimes this little bulge gets bigger and bigger pulling the felt back and out of the guttering into the loft.
Eventually the water in this bulge finds an end or join in the felt and leaks out directly into the house ceiling or wall.
By the time this happens the amount of water held in this bulge can be measured in gallons.
Once it has overflowed, rain leaking into the loft will flow directly into the wall and/or ceiling every time.

As I say, this is just a guess but would account for why the roof was dry for a year (the bulge was filling up) but now drips into the rooms.