Brick Wall Water Damage

[Williams]

Could any experienced users guide in the right direction.

 

I have a semi-detached house. At the back I've noticed water changes to the brickwork below the damp proof course.

It seems to be spreading from the lateral side inwards (see pic). 

I see green moss at the base. When it rains it seems water stained, but the opposite side does not (see pic).

 

Inside the house, on the interior wall adjacent to the patio door, some damp is rising upwards, now at approximately 45cm. 

Now it's more cold and rainy I've noticed these changes. 

 

The lateral external wall actually faces the neighbour garden so I don't have access to see what's going on. 

I've had a glance peeping over the fence. There's been some landscape changes done by the neighbours. New gravel bed with 2 bushes planted next to my wall. Also I see that the drainage gully seems to overflow with heavy rain, but that's at the front of the property.

 

The house is a new build (2011) and these issues were not observed before. I've not seen similar to my neighbours houses.

 

I'm worried this could be the start of something bigger. So I'd rather get it fixed now.

Any ideas on what's causing it?

 

Could it be the garden fence against the wall? Or something with the change in landscape?

 

Thanks

 

 

[markc]

Can you post some pics 

[Williams]

I was having difficulty editing the 1st post.

I'll place the pictures here. 

[Williams]

It seems I can only upload 1 picture. Pity.

The opposite side of the wall is clear brickwork, like it is above the damp proof barrier. 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by Williams
Upload picture.

[Williams]

A distance away. When it rains the lower bricks get wet lateral wall to back wall inner. 

So the bricks right side of the picture feel dry. Below the patio doors are the transition line. 

[saveasteading]

 

At the right hand side you have a gravel bed at the bottom which will take the water lower, then it drains away.

Less water will reach it anyway as there is a lot of brick to absorb the rain.

 

Under the door it is paving slabs and no gravel, and all the rain hitting the glass runs straight down.

Check that the paving runs properly away from the house, all the way from the wall. Golf ball test.

 

Check if rain running off the door sill is dripping onto the ground or running backwards and down the wall.

 

it is all below the dpc and you seem to have ventilation, so prob not  along term worry, but better if it didn't look like that.

 

Guessing that this wall faces the prevailing wind so south-westish.

[markc]

Paving slabs close to brickwork ?. Saveasteading has explained nicely, plus you will be surprised how much water bounces back up from slabs

[saveasteading]

2 hours ago, markc said:

how much water bounces back up from slabs

Good point. Plus wind blowing it back to the wall.

[Dave Jones]

i dont see the problem here, dpc is working as intended ?

[saveasteading]

I agree not a big problem but it is ugly and could start to spall the bricks esp in frost.

[Russell griffiths]

How’s your guttering. Has it been overflowing and causing excess splash. 

[Williams]

On 02/11/2021 at 16:20, saveasteading said:

I agree not a big problem but it is ugly and could start to spall the bricks esp in frost.

 

Last 1-2 years I have noticed some flaking / spalling of a few bricks. Hence I'm keeping a closer eye on things. 

I agree not a major problem, but if a few simple things could prevent this I would be keen to implement.

 

Few years ago guttering was overflowing but I've got that fixed now.

 

Overall thanks for the advice. I'll try some of these measures and if anything interesting appears I'll post back again.

Edited November 6, 2021 by Williams
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