What tradesperson for damp chimney work?

BlobCore

Hi all, During the summer (when it wasn't raining!) I moved to a lovely 1900 ish house recently refurbished to a decent standard but we're starting to uncover a few 'bodges' and other things you'd expect from a house of this age.

Looks like an old fireplace in the dining room has been boarded and skimmed over but the chimney stack not sealed or capped with a cowl to keep this 'orrible wet welsh rain out. Last week I painted the chimney breast but the bottom couple of inches of paint refuses to dry properly and is already peeling, it's obviously damp to the touch. The bedroom above has almost the opposite, top couple of inches of the wall at ceiling level is showing small damp stains coming through.

Longer term I'd planned to open the fireplace anyway and install a wood stove but funds probably don't permit right now.

Question is what sort of tradesperson would I need to cap the chimney, diagnose true source of damp and repair plaster as required. (Roofer, builder, plasterer, damp specialist??) I guess if a lot of the plaster has to come away I might as well get the fireplace built but then the flue bunged up with something to keep the weather out until I can afford to have it lined and a stove installed?

Just wary that in a house this age the boarded up fireplace could hide a multitude of (expensive!) horrors!

All advice welcome from those with relevant experience.

Cheers.
BC

Mutton_Geoff

BlobCore said:

Roofer, builder, plasterer, damp specialist??

Three of the four are genuine trades, the last one charlatans to be avoided at all costs. I'd look for a general builder to start a professional relationship with, especially as other works planned in the future. If anyone is going up on your roof, you're probably better off putting the flue and cap on now and buy the stove later to save money.

marycanary

Assuming the area which will not take paint is on the ground floor it sounds like rising damp. RD is very common on the sides of a chimney breast. If it is only a small area and you intend to undertake wider works in the forseeable future I would be tempted to use a suitable primer and paint over it as a short/medium term fix. Is there a solid floor, do the joist ends run into that wall? If you want to solve the problem you need a damp proofing company.

The other damp (assuming it is a room in the loft or an attic) sounds like the chimney needs work. Perhaps the flashings need replacing or repointing, the stack needs pointing, the flaunching needs attention or there is a slipped slate/tile. That's work for a roofer,

Good luck

FreeBear

A chimney sweep should be able to fit a cowl fairly cheap. Last time I inquired, it was going to be about £50, but that was a few years back.

Get the source of the damp fixed, drill a small hole near the bottom of the sealed off fireplace (it need only be 25mm dia), and leave it to dry over winter. It will be a solid mass of brick, so don't expect it to dry overnight. More like six months. What ever you do, avoid the damp treatment companies and/or anyone with affiliation to the Property Care Association. Anything they suggest will cost ££££.

BlobCore

Thanks for the advice all. Will definitely look for a decent builder I can start a longer term relationship with as I'm sure there will be a long list of projects on the horizon. I'm thinking in immediate term to cap and line the flue and make some small vents in plaster board to aid drying. Perhaps wait until warmer weather to start knocking of plaster and uncovering fireplace and the mysteries beyond!

To answer the question about the floor. That's certainly going to be on the list! The room in question is original quarry tiles laid onto bare earth. Nice and cool this summer but now, not so much! Guess the longer term plan here would be to dig the floor down a few inches and install membrane + insulation then re-tile. However from reading about this sort of house it's meant to be all about letting the house 'breathe' so not sure where that road will take me!

All good fun!

FreeBear

BlobCore said: To answer the question about the floor. That's certainly going to be on the list! The room in question is original quarry tiles laid onto bare earth. Nice and cool this summer but now, not so much! Guess the longer term plan here would be to dig the floor down a few inches and install membrane + insulation then re-tile. However from reading about this sort of house it's meant to be all about letting the house 'breathe' so not sure where that road will take me!

Have a chat with the guys over at Mike Wye about the floor. Digging it out and installing a DPM may push moisture in to the walls and cause additional damp problems. They may well suggest a good thick layer of foamed glass for insulation topped off with limecrete to maintain breathability. A word of warning - If you dig out more than 25% of the floor, Building Control should be notified and they would require a thick layer of insulation incorporated. Up to you if you want to involve BC though....

Apodemus

Don't rule out that the damp may simply be caused by the salts in the chimney absorbing moisture from the air and leaking through the new paintwork, rather than damp coming from above or below.