Hi All

I have an 1850's cottage where the ground floor to the rear, is built into
the side of a hill. The property had major modernisation work in the 1970's
including damproofing. I noticed that in one corner of a rear room,
extensive damp to the floor and skirting. Can I apply anything to the floor
and wall to stop the damp penetrating?

--
Many Thanks

Enquirer



--
Many Thanks

Enquirer

"enquirer" wrote in message
news
Hi All

I have an 1850's cottage where the ground floor to the rear, is built into
the side of a hill. The property had major modernisation work in the
1970's
including damproofing. I noticed that in one corner of a rear room,
extensive damp to the floor and skirting. Can I apply anything to the
floor
and wall to stop the damp penetrating?

You could - but it will fail again. Also sealing the wall will cause
deterioration as moisture will be held in it rather than being allowed to
evaporate as the original builder intended.

You either need to get at the outside of the wall and seal it there or tank
the inside so that any damp penetrating the wall is quicky removed.

G&M wrote:

"enquirer" wrote in message
news
Hi All

I have an 1850's cottage where the ground floor to the rear, is built into
the side of a hill. The property had major modernisation work in the

1970's

including damproofing. I noticed that in one corner of a rear room,
extensive damp to the floor and skirting. Can I apply anything to the

floor

and wall to stop the damp penetrating?


You could - but it will fail again. Also sealing the wall will cause
deterioration as moisture will be held in it rather than being allowed to
evaporate as the original builder intended.

You either need to get at the outside of the wall and seal it there or tank
the inside so that any damp penetrating the wall is quicky removed.



Mmm. What is probably needed is to at least inject that part of te wall
- is it solid brick? - again to render it impervious, and possibly chip
up the floor section and lay DPM.

Some potential use of damp proof render up teh inside of the wall to
above ground height - so that water rsing upwards evaporates finally
outwards rather than inwards - is indicated maybe as well.

Damp control is not an aboslute issue: Its more about getting it down to
a level where condensation and efflorescence actually stop, especially
when there is rottable wood in the vicinity, otherwise a modicum of damp
is no big deal.

I have actually managed for a while to stop a carepte rotting on a damp
concrete floor by slipping plastic supermarket bags under it. The damp
then moved to the wall instead. :-)

Its hard to say whats going on here - detals of the wall and floor
construction, and sooild heights and pictrures may be useful.

It may be no more complicated than moving a corner cupboard away to get
more air circulation there.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
I have an 1850's cottage where the ground floor to the rear, is built
into
the side of a hill. The property had major modernisation work in the

Mmm. What is probably needed is to at least inject that part of te wall
- is it solid brick? - again to render it impervious, and possibly chip
up the floor section and lay DPM.

The RICS recommends properties this old are not injected. As do SPAB and
all the other conservation groups.


Damp control is not an aboslute issue: Its more about getting it down to
a level where condensation and efflorescence actually stop, especially
when there is rottable wood in the vicinity, otherwise a modicum of damp
is no big deal.

Agreed. Too many people try to get it to zero, usually on the
recommendation of a building society 'surveyor', when just controlling it is
the right thing to do.

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 21:41:40 GMT, "enquirer"
wrote:

Hi All

I have an 1850's cottage where the ground floor to the rear, is built into
the side of a hill. The property had major modernisation work in the 1970's
including damproofing. I noticed that in one corner of a rear room,
extensive damp to the floor and skirting. Can I apply anything to the floor
and wall to stop the damp penetrating?

Hi,

Have a search though the forums at:

http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/

First thing to check is that there are no problems outside, eg leaky
gutters or blocked soakaways.

cheers,
Pete.

G&M wrote:

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...

I have an 1850's cottage where the ground floor to the rear, is built

into

the side of a hill. The property had major modernisation work in the


Mmm. What is probably needed is to at least inject that part of te wall
- is it solid brick? - again to render it impervious, and possibly chip
up the floor section and lay DPM.


The RICS recommends properties this old are not injected. As do SPAB and
all the other conservation groups.


Yes, well conservation grups like to preserve the nasty dampness.
Part of the character.

There is certainly an issue in not suddenly changing things that have
stood the test of time, without considering the implications, but
frankly, been there, done that, on my old house - and injection, where
it had been done, was very successful.

It couldn't cope with a 4 ft square brick chimney staning in an
uunderfloor puddle though. Damp went behind it and came out higher up.

On brick walls tho, it did the job.

In this case withperesumable damp soil on te wall exterir above floor
level, I'd say it was feasible. Or remiove the earth and run DPM up teh
wall to above soil level.

Likewise ripping up a bit of floor and relaying over a membrane is no
big deal.




Damp control is not an aboslute issue: Its more about getting it down to
a level where condensation and efflorescence actually stop, especially
when there is rottable wood in the vicinity, otherwise a modicum of damp
is no big deal.


Agreed. Too many people try to get it to zero, usually on the
recommendation of a building society 'surveyor', when just controlling it is
the right thing to do.


Yes. Ventilation and huge central heating bills will preserve a damp
prone structure allright. Got the bills to prove it.

It's nice however to get it below the level at which you need to blast
it with hot dry air all teh winter.