Hello all So im not sure if this is the right kind of thing to post on a computer forum but here i go Im currently suffering at the hands of the dreaded DAMP, It is coming through onto the ceilings in the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom and is always nearest the outside wall I have had several Roofers look at the problem and it has ranged from a few simple air tiles to one wanting £6000 for a new roof So i paid a guy to replace the "eve protectors" i dont have a clue what they are but he did it, i thought it solved the problem but its back, it seems to appear after a session of rain, a thing that has been in plentiful supply latley Im not expecting a resolution to this just advice, i appreciate it would ideally need to be looked at but some tips on things to look for would be great A long shot maybe but worth a try, feel free to laugh at my unfortunate problem
I believe it is penetrating, but not a lot of ££££ in my account for surveyors yet, i know this is the best option but until i can afford, which is most likley after xmas i was looking for a magic lamp and 3 wishes so to speak Cheers
If it is penertrating damp it could be the render if you have render. Or could be coming down the chimney, If you can get up to the area look for cracks in the render and tap it you will hear if its blown. Might even be the flashings. You could also try some sealer on the the render. But in the long run it will be cheaper to get a surveyor. Edit Can you get sorted on the house Insurance ??
The best advice I could give (being a surveyor myself) would be to get out there with a pair of binoculars and stand as far back from your property as possible and see if you can spot any slipped roof tiles or problems with your flashings, these are probably going to be the most likely faults that's causing the damp to form. Other things to check that could also be causing problems would be clogged gutters as well as possible leaking pipes in your loft if your storage tank is located there, these are probably less likely but it's worth just double checking. Have you been up in your loft to try and pinpoint where the damp is coming from exactly? If it is slipped tiles or flashings the underside of your sarking boards will obviously be a lot darker in that specific area due to the moisture. Just remember to keep the areas affected by the water ingress well ventilated if you can.
Thanks a lot I have been in the loft and the chimney breast is dry, i found no leaking pipes and the areas where i have pulled the insulation back are dry as is the roof Thanks guys for the responses, gonna give the wife some binoculors
Are you even sure that the water is coming from the roof at all? It could be a leaking waterpipe or condensation. It's hard to say without seeing the construction and layout. Water can potentially travel long distances inside buildings. For instance, if the roof have several layers (I don't know the technical english terms) there could be a leak along a cimney or vent to the "under-roof" where it can travel down until it gets through a leak in the under-roof where it gets to your inner ceiling. Is there any windows or chimneys directly over where you can spot the dampness? (Towards the center of the house) edit: How old is the house?
House is approx built in 1960 Not sure its from a leak or coming from the roof, i have personally narrowed it down by the laws of gravity that a leak wont do it. I like all the help and points raised and wish to thank you for helping Thanks all
Might be worth getting one of those damp detector thingies- hydrometer?- with the probes, then poke it into a few places in the roof space to indentify where the damp is; much better than a visual inspection if the damp isnt streaming down the surface of the wall or brickwork in the loft..
Only if the root cause turns out to be a PC water-cooling setup gone awry. What sort of roof do you have? (flat or sloping, slate, tiled, felt, etc) and if tiles/slate, is there any felt underneath them? Is the damp over a wide area? (in particular, spreading some distance from the walls - this may suggest a plumbing leak though this would be present whatever the weather). Is your house in a windy area? In order to rule out condensation as a cause, is the damp concentrated in your bathroom or are your bedrooms equally affected?
Around the chimney is a classic one. Worth checking around there. Could be something random like a leaking pipe or overflow pipe. Any water pipes through that area?
Thanks For the replys guys, the damp is not confined to the bathroom as it is in every room upstairs, its not major but ugly to look at. I basically live on a hill so the house is exposed to whatever is thrown at it Gonna save some cash and get someone to take a look Cheers
If it's on the corner thats taking the brunt of the weather , it could be some thing simple as knacked pointing as you say it's only affected by rain, that means you can rule out damp and it's not a leak as it comes and goes. As bumrush says, some brick sealer might work,even if it gets you thorough the winter then you can have it all done properly. A damp meter will be a waste of time, all it will tell you is what you already know and that is that there is a wet patch. If you can post a pic of that side of the house, there might be something thats easy to spot.
Thanks bulldog ill try take some snaps but i have a guy coming tommorow to check it out, free estimate, he reckons it may well be condensation! If i recall right the problem only started after i had new windows installed, and the dumb ass company never put trickle vents in! Im not sure if this would have a huge impact but it has me wondering, and the windows are always wet in the mornings Dont even know if i could have trickle vents installed now? Cheers all
Can you get in the loft to check the rafters might give you and indication where the water is getting in.
Got a guy to do that tommorow, ive been up once and saw nothing, all was dry and found not 1 wet patch, but im no expert in things like this
You may be onto something there if you have had double glazing installed they can cause this type of problem. Actually there's no reason why you cant have vent's put in them they just drill hole's through the frame and fix vents inside and out side, The inside one normaly has a shut off on it. I have them on all my window's.
The most important thing to check is the gutters. If they are blocked or need cleaning out they tend to just overflow, causing the water to pour down the side of the walls. This causes moisture to penetrate the brickwork and damp to show up inside the walls. It is the most common cause of damp. When it is raining heavily (shouldn't have to wait long for that), walk around the house and see where the water coming down the roof is going. feel the gutter down pipe to check whether water is coming down its outside --definite sign of overspill. If you have pipes draining into hoppers, make sure those are not overflowing and that the pipe actually drains in the hopper, not past it.
