Brick efflorescence and brick face erosion on gable end.

[ianmoone]

Good afternoon,

 

I have attached some photos of my property's gable end.

The house is over 100 years old and is built on slate.

 

Before I contact a builder to try and resolve the problem (brick efflorescence and brick face erosion), could anyone offer me some advice on what they think may be causing the problem?

 

When it rains I am noticing the corresponding inside walls becoming slightly damp.

I have done some research but can't find anything that would explain why only the bricks 2 foot up (2 courses) are being affected.

 

Please note that the pointing isn't purple - I've had to compress the images and it's altered the colours slightly.

 

Any help advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Edited October 1, 2023 by ianmoone

[MikeGrahamT21]

I’m no expert but thinking this may be due to the pointing being done with cement, and perhaps a more suitable material would be lime mortar which can deal with the moisture much better.

 

the solid surface at the bottom of the wall is probably not ideal either, be ideal to have a foot from the wall of gravel, and dig down as far as you can which should aid drainage 

[Gone West]

The air brick being half covered isn't good, so as @MikeGrahamT21 said

14 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

be ideal to have a foot from the wall of gravel, and dig down as far as you can which should aid drainage 

 

[MikeGrahamT21]

18 minutes ago, Gone West said:

The air brick being half covered isn't good, so as @MikeGrahamT21 said

 

Well spotted! I’d not seen the tiny slither on view. It’s likely full of crap behind it too, may need removing cleaning and a new plastic one putting back

[ianmoone]

Thank you for replying - I'll will definitely look into the air brick.

 

I am still wondering why the problem bricks lie at least a foot higher than the air brick and traverse the whole gable end?

Edited October 1, 2023 by ianmoone

[MikeGrahamT21]

It has to be the weakest area for the water to get out I’d say. Probably where the coldest temperatures are too, ground level is always a bit warmer.

 

What’s on the inside roughly where the efflorescence is happening? And what’s below it where it isn’t happening?

 

which direction does the gable end face?

[ianmoone]

On the inside are two chimney breasts and dividing walls, no alterations have been done internally since the day it was built.

The property has been in the family for 50 years, the brick erosion and efflorescence has been noticeable for the last 15 years.

 

Unfortunately I am only addressing the problem now because the corresponding inside walls/chimney breasts are becoming slightly damp when it rains.

 

The gable end faces North.

[ianmoone]

Photo from this morning - it rained last night.

Edited October 2, 2023 by ianmoone

[Gone West]

29 minutes ago, ianmoone said:

Photo from this morning - it rained last night.

Has it always been paved like that. Can you mark where the level of the DPC is on the latest photo.

[ianmoone]

It doesn't have a DPC as far as I know.

Apparently it was built on slate.

 

The flags will have been there at least 50 years.

Edited October 2, 2023 by ianmoone

[MikeGrahamT21]

North facing so it will never be baked by the sun. I suspect those bricks will be almost non porous too given their age.

 

I wonder if the problem is actually further up, maybe on the chimney stack, and the visual representation is only being seen at ground level, there must be a large amount of water getting in somewhere. Also check the roof integrity near the verge.

 

if it’s built on slate rising damp shouldn’t be adding too much to the problem.

 

lime mortar will make a big difference once the cement pointing is out, but I feel there is an issue somewhere else also

[ianmoone]

The chimney was removed 2 years ago and roofed over - so there is no exposed stack.

4 air bricks were inserted.

 

I have had the roof checked and all seems sound.

 

As the problem has been noticeable for 15 years, I'm thinking it's probably nothing to do with the above work.

Edited October 2, 2023 by ianmoone

[ianmoone]

Here's the roof after the chimney was removed.

[Mr Punter]

I can't see a slate DPC.  I think it has been buried.  The paving looks like it could be above DPC level and the wall may be getting wet from rain splashing up.  Can you lift a slab and investigate?  The solution could be to put an ACO type channel drain along the wall.

[ianmoone]

I think I might struggle lifting one of those slabs to be honest - I may need to get someone in to do that.

 

I do agree though - I think the slabs are above the slate DPC.

[Gone West]

4 hours ago, ianmoone said:

It doesn't have a DPC as far as I know.

Apparently it was built on slate.

The slate acts as a DPC and was common in homes of that age.

 

3 hours ago, ianmoone said:

I do agree though - I think the slabs are above the slate DPC.

That will be a large part of the problem and until the ground level is lowered to around 150mm below the DPC it will be difficult to know what other problems exist, if any. As has been suggested an ACO drain or gravel along that wall, after it has been dug out, could solve all the problems.

[ianmoone]

Would a builder be able to do this for me or should I be looking for some more specialised?

[Gone West]

A decent builder should be able to do that with no problems.

[ianmoone]

thank you for all the advice

[Brickie]

Be worth popping outside during a downpour & checking that nothing’s overflowing from that gutter. If that’s blocked & sending additional rainwater down to splash up,that will exacerbate the problem. 

[saveasteading]

Lots of good aside above. 

I agree and suspect water is splashing from the roof and again up  from the concrete. You will have to get wet and observe.

The buried air brick is awful. It might not be the same problem but needs sorting.

A so called builder buried the air brick. Some people just aren't very bright. Yes a builder can sort the problem but only if they understand the problem.