Efflorescence on brickwork

stuart45

Surprising how many people underestimate the importance of a well maintained and effective guttering system. Best time to look is when it's hammering down, but most people want to get inside then.

Rosa_Damascena

stuart45 said:

Surprising how many people underestimate the importance of a well maintained and effective guttering system. Best time to look is when it's hammering down, but most people want to get inside then.

My neighbour was nice enough to tell me about my problem guttering. I could clearly see a build-up of moss and tree debris once it had been pointed out to me, but she had the advantage of seeing the waterfall when I didn't. 

Anyway it was knackered so I got the sofitts, fascias and guttering done at the same time as the damp treatment, insulation and rendering and don't want to have to think about it again for a couple of decades at least. The trouble is I now notice everyone else's

*j*

You could cut 30cm from the end of that short gutter and fit a stop end.

Then the outlet from the upper gutter can be run through a vertical downpipe until it is below the short gutter, then a 92.5 degree elbow and run that through into the current downpipe.

...and while you are at it why not tidy up that untidy piping which takes the flow around the corner to the pipe above the lean to roof.

PierremontQuaker03

well the problem is back folks, deep flow guttering it is. That deluge of rain the other day caused damp issues gain. Was waiting for the guy who put it in originally to sort it, but hes broke his arm so is out of action. Given that I am getting damp through the wall now of the bedroom (the bedroom just below the guttering) I think I will get someone else to fit it as it is now cause issues on the wall inside the house.

PierremontQuaker03

Hi All, see attached updated photos, so we are 8 months on and still there is white on the bricks.  One side of the L seems to be sorted but the other does not, and the white formation keeps changing.  I take it the problem is not solved or do I wait longer. We have not had any rain for the last two weeks at least.  Behind the wall with the current efflorescence (ie in the bedroom) the internal wall is completely dry now and has been for months (I am just waiting a year to repaint).
Do we think the problem is fixed or do I need deep fill guttering, for the back wall above the conservatory (which will require a cherry picker no doubt). Thanks for looking.

stuart45

When you say the staining is changing, do you mean getting worse?  High humidity can bring out salts if they are just below the surface. Looks like they are coming out of the joints rather than the bricks.
Another cause of white staining is lime runoff. This is harder to remove, as it's the calcium oxide in the joints getting washed through to the surface.

PierremontQuaker03

stuart45 said:

When you say the staining is changing, do you mean getting worse?  High humidity can bring out salts if they are just below the surface. Looks like they are coming out of the joints rather than the bricks.
Another cause of white staining is lime runoff. This is harder to remove, as it's the calcium oxide in the joints getting washed through to the surface.

yes its seems to be getting slightly worse, but not sure if its just it coming through because of the weather (humidity) - the inside wall where it was damp is completely dry now - so there cant be any new water coming through (in my non expert opinion).

Rosa_Damascena

PierremontQuaker03 said:

Where did you get the internal Georgian bar doors and transoms from? They are exactly what I am looking for. 

PierremontQuaker03

Rosa_Damascena said:

PierremontQuaker03 said:

Where did you get the internal Georgian bar doors and transoms from? They are exactly what I am looking for. 

They were already in the house when I moved in

PierremontQuaker03

So two months on from the last pic and nothing much has changed.  There is no damp on the internal wall, but the efflorescence is still on the external brickwork. So its been there about a year now. I am hopeful that it is nothing new but old water - but I was hopeful that by now it would be gone, which means I am concerned that the issue is still not fixed. Maybe there is a small leak somewhere in the loft? When the loft was first put in there was a large leak in the ensuite, which I thought this originally this was from (it was wet on the internal and external walls), then I thought it might be the guttering, which was repaired. But now I am completely at a loss on why it is not going!