Few instances of damp, want to sort and get CWI.

[Ewan]

Hi folks,

 

I'd love to hear some thoughts on a few different damp symptoms our house has. It's a 1920-1930 (unsure) detached with narrow cavities (I estimate 35-45mm on front and sides, but rear wall is thicker), suspended timber floor, what looks like a painted white pebbledash "render", some painted brickwork, and some other different render, all looks a bit crappy.

 

I'm quite new at this, never been under a house before until this. Quite suprised at how messy it was, and no idea what I'm looking at when it comes to damp issues.

 

Background:
 

• It's had two chimneys and a side facing bay window removed.
• the house had been empty for a year before we moved in in Feb.
• I've made some access to the sub floor and found that 3/4ers of the air bricks are blocked up, and the ones at the rear have been removed as the solid floor rear extension went in (90s).
• While in the void, I could see what I think is the DPC in the rear of the original house, but I can't see it at the front!

 

Symptoms:
 

• On moving in there was some damp marks a few inches above the skirting boards in a couple of places near where chimneys used to be and in a corner next to the bay. Some of this has receded, some remains.
• In the void there is also some kind of growth on a few meter sections of bricks, mostly along the one side wall. Found a tiny slug in the mortar.
• damp looking floor in the corner (front of house & same side wall as above) in the void, no sign of DPC.
• Mushy plaster low down on a wall under the stairs (no floorboards, cold area, other side of house), with what looks like a cement plaster patch job. Water pipe travels through this.

I suspect a combination of crappy render,  substandard ventialation in the floor void and chimney removal, but how is it best to find out for sure and correct?

 

We're planning on a realtively comphensive retrofit, CWI, EWI, attic & floor insulation, air tightness work & MVHR but I'd like to get to the bottom of this damp first. Concerned about CWI with the damp.

 

Who's best to come investigate this sort of thing, I'd like to avoid the PCA approved CSRT chemical sales people, so would I be best finding a RICS person? Any tips for Manchester?

 

The syptoms in pics, any glaring issues here?

 

the damp front corner, I moved some of the darker soil stuff around. No visible DPC.

 

 

Middle room, on the right is the external side wall, and left is an internal divider wall. what looks like the DPC runs along the centre, 1 blocked up wall vent visible just below floor level between the joists. Yellowy growth on bricks to the right is where the tiny slug was in the mortar.

 

Front room, growth on brick. New joist, v v close to the wall, probably done when fireplace removed. Problem? No visible DPC.

 

Under stairs area, step down from hallway to bare earth (well, coated with something). Mushy plaster, cement plaster patch job? water pipe.

 

 

Under stairs stood back. Spotty mould, condensation damp?