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Should I lower front ground levels aswel

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I'm having the side of my house a channel digged down 6inches £300 and going to fill with gravel as the dpc is at ground level and an air brick is right in the middle of it with some guard thing. I've had damp in my entrance hallway which was caused by this.

I was also considering lowering my front aswel but I've lifted carpets and the floorboards are really solid and moisture readings 15%-17% slightly high? I've previously removed debris from the front bay window vents as plants were growing from them today I've unblocked the vents properly and sprayed algae/mould killer in around them but on one of the vents trench there's a brick which does not move odd! Also the houses on my road their bay  window vents are either level or below ground like mine with these weird guards unless the front door has a high step as road slants downwards.. 

I'm just thinking if I lower the front there's a potential for water ingress or splashback causing issues. Leave well alone? I've tried to get some ventilation flowing in them. 
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Comments

  • youth_leader
    youth_leader Posts: 2,904 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Have you recently bought this house?  Good you are having a french drain installed, very effective.

    I've had wasps in my airbricks and they built a giant nest in the subvoid.  I was sorry to contact the pest exterminator but I was having the floors replaced and couldn't risk the nest attacking the men.  I've got white powder marks on my airbricks.The other covering is called 'mouse guard' and is a fine mesh?  
    £216 saved 24 October 2014
  • Slinky
    Slinky Posts: 10,976 Forumite
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    Is that white mark the remains of ant powder?
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  • Sekekama
    Sekekama Posts: 93 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Slinky said:
    Is that white mark the remains of ant powder?
    I'm not sure bought the property under a year ago 
  • Sekekama
    Sekekama Posts: 93 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Have you recently bought this house?  Good you are having a french drain installed, very effective.

    I've had wasps in my airbricks and they built a giant nest in the subvoid.  I was sorry to contact the pest exterminator but I was having the floors replaced and couldn't risk the nest attacking the men.  I've got white powder marks on my airbricks.The other covering is called 'mouse guard' and is a fine mesh?  
    Yeah bought in August last year 
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,118 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Whilst you've got workmen on site, it wouldn't hurt to do round the front wall as well.
    Her courage will change the world.

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  • Sekekama
    Sekekama Posts: 93 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    FreeBear said:
    Whilst you've got workmen on site, it wouldn't hurt to do round the front wall as well.
    It could hurt because if I lowered front and removed that guard thing it may cause water splashback to go into vents 
  • stuart45
    stuart45 Posts: 4,807 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Sekekama said:
    FreeBear said:
    Whilst you've got workmen on site, it wouldn't hurt to do round the front wall as well.
    It could hurt because if I lowered front and removed that guard thing it may cause water splashback to go into vents 
    It's not like that to prevent rain bounce getting in. It's because the ground level is too high. Air bricks don't suffer from rain bounce. Modern houses have more ventilation if a timber floor is used. The older ones often had too little.
    The M/C of your floor timbers are on the high side. >12 is better, although 17 is just about safe from dry rot.
    Lowering the ground levels all round, and adding more ventilation would help.
  • Sekekama
    Sekekama Posts: 93 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    stuart45 said:
    Sekekama said:
    FreeBear said:
    Whilst you've got workmen on site, it wouldn't hurt to do round the front wall as well.
    It could hurt because if I lowered front and removed that guard thing it may cause water splashback to go into vents 
    It's not like that to prevent rain bounce getting in. It's because the ground level is too high. Air bricks don't suffer from rain bounce. Modern houses have more ventilation if a timber floor is used. The older ones often had too little.
    The M/C of your floor timbers are on the high side. >12 is better, although 17 is just about safe from dry rot.
    Lowering the ground levels all round, and adding more ventilation would help.
    It's around 15 on the bay area floorboards which I thought was borderline the fact that I've unblocked the air bricks should help? I'm just hesitant to lower that front side because no idea what's underneath all I can see is gravel and might look more stupid than already is 
  • Sekekama
    Sekekama Posts: 93 Forumite
    10 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    FreeBear said:
    Whilst you've got workmen on site, it wouldn't hurt to do round the front wall as well.
    Also would the front bay window have a cavity wall? As I'm poking the air vents with a drill bit want to make sure reaching subfloor
  • stuart45
    stuart45 Posts: 4,807 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If it's a cavity wall there should be a liner through the cavity.
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