Damp in bathroom brickwork?

elsien

I've had bare plaster my bathroom for coming up for 12 months, after I had a new bathroom suite put in and hoiked all tiles and wallpaper off.
Prior to this there was a water tank in the corner which had a slow leak over a period of months, followed by a total bathroom flood while I was on holiday. The tank came out and the bathroom has been leak free for a good 18 months.
There were signs of damp (white salts) for a while, but on closer inspection today (I pulled off a load of loose plaster) the brickwork appears quite damp about 1/3 of the way up one wall -the wall that the tank was on, and which also adjoins next doors terrace. The only pipes along that wall now are the radiator ones which are fine.
and I can't find any other cause of dampness.
Could the brickwork still be holding in damp from that long ago, and if so what do I do about it? It's just the one wall that is affected, the others are fine.
The plan is to take all the plaster off that wall (It's loose so will have to be redone anyway) and eventually plasterboard over it, but obviously I don't want to be storing up problems for the future.
Any ideas folks? Victorian terrace, if that makes any difference.

p3pp3r5

Do you have any stack/rainwater pipes on that outside wall?

Reason - we had a long term underground seep from the rainwater pipe which caused damp at the back of the house.

All fixed now.

elsien

The outside walls are fine, it's the inside one that's the problem.

Oldsoak

Any chance the water is running down the cavity from a damage or leaky roof? Remember water always flows downwards. (not being funny, just worth noting as I have seen people ripped off by plumbers for this reason).

elsien

Always worth checking, although I'd have thought in that case the water would be starting at the ceiling and coming down, rather than working its way upwards?
The other thing I wondered was if there is a bathroom in the house next door, would it be possible for it to be coming through? (Would there be a wall cavity in a victorian brick built house, or just solid walls between the two?)
It's a first floor room.

keystone

Oldsoak wrote: »

Any chance the water is running down the cavity from a damage or leaky roof?

Don't think they built Victorain Terraces with cavity walls? That technique started in the 20s.

Remember water always flows downwards. (not being funny, just worth noting as I have seen people ripped off by plumbers for this reason).

Except that capilliary action can always take it upwards too. Oh sorry you said "flows". Yes you are correct in that case.

Cheers

keystone

Any dead ends from the tank installation?

Yes I would check with next door. Whatever the source it will be affecting you both.

Cheers