Brown marks on external wall in bathroom

samhale

Hi folks -

For the last few months we've been getting brown staining on the external wall in our bathroom. I have been able to wipe the majority of it away, however it's just coming back worse. It's now also affecting the paint which is starting to peel.

I've checked the guttering outside and nothing appears to be blocking them to cause overflow - although I'll take a better look next time it rains!

Can anyone advise? Any help would be much appreciated!
Sam

-taff

Have yo ot any airflow in your bathroom? It's damp, but I don't know if it's inside or outside...I' eaning towars inside but only because the condensation on the mirror....had you just had a shower or bath when you took the photos?

phill99

Solid or cavity wall? If you're not sure, how old is the house?


That isn't from an internal moisture source. That is coming either from a buried pipe that is leaking or water is getting in from the outside.

samhale

-taff wrote: »

Have yo ot any airflow in your bathroom? It's damp, but I don't know if it's inside or outside...I' eaning towars inside but only because the condensation on the mirror....had you just had a shower or bath when you took the photos?

Not really - no fan or ventilation - we had just had a shower.

phill99 wrote: »

Solid or cavity wall? If you're not sure, how old is the house?


That isn't from an internal moisture source. That is coming either from a buried pipe that is leaking or water is getting in from the outside.

Georgian house so will be solid walls. There's nothing above the bathroom (no loft) - do you think it could be coming through the slate?

phill99

samhale wrote: »

Georgian house so will be solid walls. There's nothing above the bathroom (no loft) - do you think it could be coming through the slate?

I don't know as I have no idea where the slate is relative to this damp patch. It may well be pointing failure allowing moisture in.

Mistral001

The bubbling of the paint points to the damp coming from the outside.

You do not have to have faulty guttering or downpipes to get damp penetrating through solid walls in Georgian houses. They were designed in the days most rooms had open fires, there were no showers and no vinyl matt paint so damp penetration was not a problem as it just evaporated and the resulting moist air vented away through the open fires.

If the wall is facing the prevailing wind, then it could be a case of driving rain exasperating the problem.

Doozergirl

Please post pictures of the other side of that wall - outside.

And also take a wider picture of the internal wall. It isn't the damp patch that provides the most information, it is the context.

I do agree that it's coming from an external source.

samhale

Photos of outside and full wall.

Thanks again everybody, advice much appreciated! :money: