Is this damp?

Hi

This evening as I walked out of dd room I noticed this on the wall:

https://twitter.com/payrollexcel/status/881578829973684228

Unless I have been blind I have never seen it before and maybe has come in the last few days.

The wall in question is part of an extension wall built in the 80's. It over looks the garage and there are drainpipes on the outside. I've never noticed any leaking or blockage of the pipes. I had them cleaned last winter.

There is also some white 'chalky' stuff on the wall papers that looks like cotton wool. No idea what this is.

Anyone help to inform me whether this is damp and next course of action?

Thanks
«1

Comments

  • To my non-expert eye, yes.
  • aj9648
    aj9648 Posts: 1,372
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    Sleazy wrote: »
    To my non-expert eye, yes.

    :mad::(:angry:angry::angry:
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 14,421
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    Yup, looks like damp...

    What sort of roof do you have over the affected area ?

    If it is a flat roof, the felt might be cracking or lifting and allowing water to track down the wall.

    If it is a pitched tiled roof, it could be nothing more than a dislodged tile.
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  • aj9648
    aj9648 Posts: 1,372
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    FreeBear wrote: »
    Yup, looks like damp...

    What sort of roof do you have over the affected area ?

    If it is a flat roof, the felt might be cracking or lifting and allowing water to track down the wall.

    If it is a pitched tiled roof, it could be nothing more than a dislodged tile.

    Yes it's a pitched tiled roof
  • brightontraveller
    brightontraveller Posts: 1,379 Forumite
    edited 3 July 2017 at 11:30AM
    I,d say leak stain? More intrusion from outside than condensation from within (damp) to start look at roof directly above for breaches ,holes, missing, broken render, tiles, flashings etc then work your way out water can track for quite some distant, Once you identify breaches fill, replace etc Some simulate weather with water .ie hose etc to verify.
    If you cannot identify cause mark with pencil to verify if area increases? occasional freak weather e.g. rain wind in certain direction create ingression which are hard to identify /rectify but happen so rarely there not worth worrying about once area dried repaint., The white fluffy stuff sounds like efflorescence, salt deposits (more common in newly plastered wall) ideally Gypsum plaster should not be used on solid external walls as this situation can arise although salts do not normally appear after a day or two ?
  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 2,998
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    I agree with brightontraveller that it looks more like a leak than damp.
    I had a stain very like this in my last house, and it turned out the lead flashing was leaking. I had this replaced and then needed to use some stain stopper before re-painting.
  • aj9648
    aj9648 Posts: 1,372
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    The guys who came to have a look both said there were 'salts' coming out. One mentioned looking at the roof - but would need ladders. The other said it was more to do with the plastering.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,781
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    edited 5 July 2017 at 11:55AM
    Is this anywhere near your crack?

    There is no definitive difference between 'leaks' and 'damp'. There is clear evidence of penetrating dampness, we need to find the cause (which could be from a leak)
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  • cam12
    cam12 Posts: 11 Forumite
    I don't think that's damp - its a leak.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,781
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    cam12 wrote: »
    I don't think that's damp - its a leak.

    It is damp. Damp isn't some mythical thing, it is an adjective meaning 'slightly wet'. The wall is slightly wet, therefore it can be described as damp.

    The mythical 'damp' is precisely why people panic about 'damp'. Even rising 'damp' can be caused by a leak, so we can stop nodding our heads over the semantics of it all. They're all words describing the same thing. The differentiating factor is how it happens!

    This is penetrating damp. It may be caused by a leak.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
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