How much for new Damp Proof Course.

Fire_Fox

zebedeeboing wrote: »

I would really appreciate any advice that can be offered.

I own a mid terraced Victorian property, built around 1900. I bought this in 2006 and the surveyor's report recommended a DPC, which I have never had done (and wasn't required for the mortgage).

During the six years I've owned the house, the damp in the downstairs bay window has gradually got worse. The lower part of the walls (up to about 1m) themselves can feel damp and there is some mould growing above the skirting board level and on the skirting board itself. The wallpaper itself has started to come away from the wall, despite being replaced only about 18 months ago. The wall outside looks okay and the brick air vents are clear as far as I can see. There are no guttering or drain pipes in the immediate area. The interior of the wall has no furniture placed against it so gets a reasonable amount of light and air.

We did have a problem with condensation, largely due to the regular use of an old, unvented tumble dryer. However, this has recently been replaced with a condensor dryer and the problem appears to have been alleviated somewhat.

My concern is more with the mould and the potential damage to the plater under the wallpaper, which feels lose. I am also trying to sell the house and am well aware it might put off potential buyers.

I'm reluctant to seek a DPC following comments on this forum. Any advice offered would be gratefully reeceived.

Thank you.

You need to establish the cause of the damp - is it rising, penetrating, condensation or a combination? You may be best to pay an independent damp specialist to investigate given damp came up as an issue in your survey. Just because you cannot see it does not mean it is not there.

Try using an electric dehumidifier in that area. If the condensation was chronic and the wall is very wet a bit of ventilation may not be sufficient and I doubt you will be opening all the windows every day though the winter anyway. Check there are no leaks around the frame, that the drip groove under the sill is not clogged with paint, the sill is not rotten, that nothing outside the bay is breaching the DPC.

Mould most often signifies condensation because other forms of damp tend to bring salts out of the plaster that inhibit mould growth. Use Dettox mould and mildew spray to kill it.

zonecrew

Hi
Can anyone advise me on a damp problem i have

I bought my house approx 5 years ago and it was identified on the valuation report that my dining room wall had a damp problem, to cut a long story short I had a dpc injection into this wall by a reputable company as a condition of the mortgage

It was my first house and I knew nothing about damp etc but what i find strange looking back now is that no plaster or render was removed by the dpc company prior to the work being carried out, is this normal because all of the info i have read since suggests that this is usual practice?

Anyway, in the last 12 months or so I have noticed the wallpaper progressively getting worse on this wall that was treated, i have ripped it all off today and the plaster is damp and crumbling around the skirting board up to about 6 inches above the skirting board. What is making me mad is that there were no obvious signs of any damp in that wall prior to the dpc injection but now it is in a bit of a sorry state!

The dpc company did say that there was a small chance that damp might appear in future years after the course was carried out but all that i should do is hack off the plaster and re-plaster?

I'm not so sure, any advice?

kingstreet

First, check downspouts and gutters for leaks and blockages. It's possible rainwater is coming into contact with the walls.

After that, what is the soil level like outside? Is there soil against the wall, possibly bridging the dampcourse? If there is, reduce the soil level by digging out next to the wall.

Finally, are there any internal sources of moisture?

Cogey

Hi, I have been reading along with interest and seems rising damp is rare. Just starting to decorate a back room in a semi detached, one wall is very damp about half meter up around a chimney breast, same wall as the next door. The opposite wall has about a foot of damp and this is in the centre of the house. Although the room is not really used it does have a radiator. The chimney breast seems okay upstairs and in the loft. Any thoughts?

axomoxia

My survey complained of damp in the kitchen. And a damp company quoted 3k for a chemical DPC re-plaster. Shame they didn't spot leaking pipe to the sink soaking the kitchen wall.....

As to the chimney breast, I had a similar problem in my upstairs bedroom. I have quite bad staining and a definite damp feeling to the wall. I got it re-plastered, when it stained again, covered the stain in cheap and nasty gloss paint, then re-emulsioned the wall. That was three years ago, and no sign of staining or dampness.

Bricks

axomoxia wrote: »

My survey complained of damp in the kitchen. And a damp company quoted 3k for a chemical DPC re-plaster. Shame they didn't spot leaking pipe to the sink soaking the kitchen wall.....

As to the chimney breast, I had a similar problem in my upstairs bedroom. I have quite bad staining and a definite damp feeling to the wall. I got it re-plastered, when it stained again, covered the stain in cheap and nasty gloss paint, then re-emulsioned the wall. That was three years ago, and no sign of staining or dampness.

Thing is though that the damp will probably now just be building up behind your impervious layer of paint and at some point it will fail. Also, in the long term, it will be causing deterioration to the brickwork which could land you with more serious problems in the future.

If the chimney is unused, ideally it should be ventilated near the bottom so that air can circulate and help dry out any damp. You could also think of putting a rain cap on the top of the chimney pot to reduce the amount of rainwater coming in.

axomoxia

Bricks wrote: »

Thing is though that the damp will probably now just be building up behind your impervious layer of paint and at some point it will fail. Also, in the long term, it will be causing deterioration to the brickwork which could land you with more serious problems in the future.

If the chimney is unused, ideally it should be ventilated near the bottom so that air can circulate and help dry out any damp. You could also think of putting a rain cap on the top of the chimney pot to reduce the amount of rainwater coming in.

Both of those have been done. And the flashing around the chimney stack fully refurbed.

knellyman

Hi all, I am buying a 400 year old house mainly timber framed and had a structural engineer look over it. He said that i have rising damp in places and needed it sorted by a damp specialist because of the age of the building. Dose this mean a DPC and these company that offer DPC would be no good for my house and if so what would be done to solve this damp.
Cheers

kingstreet

You need an inspection by an independent timber & damp surveyor. If you ask a firm which installs damp courses, surprise, surprise that's what they'll sell you...

http://www.independentdampsurveyors.co.uk/

The surveyor will be independent of any contracting firm and is more likely to give you an objective view. For example, if it's leaky rainwater goods, or a leaky roof, you'll know and can act accordingly.

oggyman_2

Hey,

I have an end terrace house in Liverpool, in which I believe I am a victim of rising damp. I first 'notice' the issue, soon after I bought the house about 3.5 years ago.

I had the sky installer drilling the connection when he identified that the wall was slightly damp. When the winter came, I notice a small damp patch at the side of the chimney. I looked at the roof, and repaired some slates, thinking that that was the issue.

About 1 year later, I decided to improve the living room, and when I lifted the wooden floor, I notice water under the flooring. Initial I thought it was due to a previously leaking radiator, and left it to it.

After I had replaced the floor, and then wall papered the wall the damp patches on two walls appeared. I had one facing the wall to the rear wall, and then the alleyway wall. Initial this was minor, but as the winter and time has progressed the wall opposite the allyway (chimney) and one side of an internal wall.

I have since repaired the guttering and removed a down pipe which was in the rear yard, thinking that could be leaking the water into the building.

I no longer live in the property (moved for work) but know I wills struggle to sell as is. Since I have repaired the guttering, the yard wall is dry, no issues, but the other ways (tenant and a friend) indicated that after a large spell of rain the walls would get damp (the other walls).

The external allyway is raised and water will rest against the wall after heavy fall. I have since (this week) contacted the council asking them to inspect this.

Now this where it gets fun! I have no issues with the other front living room. No signs of the damp. This makes me feel that it is potential either a failed drain, or the fact that the front living room which faces the allyway is lower than the living behind that.

I am thinking of a course of action. This would to reduce the alleyway and install a drain in the allyway. I would need the council to do this. Then install a DPC in the outer walls.

After that dry line the internal of the room, instead of stripping the walls. This would help with the cold walls, and improve the heating.

Like all these houses, they would be no cavity wall builds.

Any suggestions or help?

Is the best way to identify the source of the water is by lifting the floor? Or should i just DPC, the walls, and dry line accordingly.

Since I no longer live in Liverpool (I live in Ireland), I find it difficult to problem solve. I have a good friend who is a builder, and I would happy for them to install the chemical DPC, and then the dry lining.

Thoughts? Costs? Help!!