Dark/cold/damp patch above window? Lintel?

[bethany89]

We have a window in our stairwell area and we are redecorating the whole stairs, hall and landing. When we took the paper off we've discovered a dark pattern above the window.

 

There were "salt crystals" on the surface in the days after removing the paper and then I noticed more again after doing some more stripping with the steamer. It does seem to have got lighter ,but hasn't got darker again with rain we've had.

 

I've asked a few damp companies to come take a look for me but noone helping so far.

 

A builder friend said it could just be a cold spot on the lintel? 

 

Any ideas or tips please? We are wanting to re-plaster once all paper is off so we can just paint rather than wallpaper. 

 

We have a semi and this is the end and it's rendered on the outside of the house from the half way up this window. 

Edited February 21 by bethany89
Spelling error

[Mr Punter]

Maybe no cavity tray above and a lintel bridging the cavity.  Looks like the ground floor window in the picture.  You could coat the wall outside above the window with Stormdry.

[jayc89]

How old's the house? Looks like it could be solid wall construction, especially as the plaster looks like it could be lime... Is the render cementious? You could have a crack/leak in it (that's saturated the wooden lintel (?) ) and the only way for the water to go is inwards. 

[bethany89]

9 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

Maybe no cavity tray above and a lintel bridging the cavity.  Looks like the ground floor window in the picture.  You could coat the wall outside above the window with Stormdry.

 

Thank you for your reply. It is the highest window on the side of the house. The small one at the bottom is under the steps (under this window)

 

We did have this wall coated a few years ago with weather proof paint for external use, but I don't know what the builder used. Will keep this brand in mind.

[bethany89]

8 hours ago, jayc89 said:

How old's the house? Looks like it could be solid wall construction, especially as the plaster looks like it could be lime... Is the render cementious? You could have a crack/leak in it (that's saturated the wooden lintel (?) ) and the only way for the water to go is inwards. 

Thank you for your reply. The house is around 1920s. I would imagine the render is cementious but I'm honestly not sure. Was already rendered when we moved in 5 years ago.

I can't see anything from the floor but I need to get a ladder to get up and have a closer look at the external wall to check then to see if this is the case.

[Blooda]

15 hours ago, bethany89 said:

Thank you for your reply. It is the highest window on the side of the house. The small one at the bottom is under the steps (under this window)

 

It maybe the angle of the Photos, but the window reveal from the outside looks distinctly longer, thinner, is it possible to get a photo looking more head on to window, showing the lintel as well, and the current condition of the render.

Edited February 22 by Blooda

[Iceverge]

I'm suspicious of the chimney. 

 

Is it out of use? 

 

I wonder has rain gotten down it and  seeped into a wooded lintel? 

 

[Blooda]

 

There is also a distinct line of differing plaster.  Which suggests this may been found before, and they replaced the plaster without finding the root cause.

 

 

[bethany89]

1 hour ago, Iceverge said:

I'm suspicious of the chimney. 

 

Is it out of use? 

 

I wonder has rain gotten down it and  seeped into a wooded lintel? 

 

 

Hi. Yes the chimney is out of use and I've had 2 people look at it. The render was cracked on it when we moved it it was painted with some kind of weather proof lead paint (I'm probably saying the wrong wording but I trust the person who did this)

Then when another builder friend looked at it for us, he got up on a ladder and stood on the chimney to show us it had been capped off and covered so nothing should be getting it it. The problem is the darkness if it hasn't changed since we've uncovered it. It hasn't got darker again with the weather we've had is what I mean.

@Iceverge

Edited February 22 by bethany89
Tagged name

[bethany89]

55 minutes ago, Blooda said:

 

There is also a distinct line of differing plaster.  Which suggests this may been found before, and they replaced the plaster without finding the root cause.

 

 

Yes I noticed this also when we've started taking paper off. I will get a better picture of the window tonight and will try zoom in above the lintel as I don't have ladders tall enough at home to get up there right now. Thank you 

@Blooda

Edited February 22 by bethany89
Tag name

[Iceverge]

34 minutes ago, bethany89 said:

 

Hi. Yes the chimney is out of use and I've had 2 people look at it. The render was cracked on it when we moved it it was painted with some kind of weather proof lead paint (I'm probably saying the wrong wording but I trust the person who did this)

Then when another builder friend looked at it for us, he got up on a ladder and stood on the chimney to show us it had been capped off and covered so nothing should be getting it it. The problem is the darkness if it hasn't changed since we've uncovered it. It hasn't got darker again with the weather we've had is what I mean.

 

This suggests the "wetting" and "drying" are in balance if the dark patch stays is stable in size. 

 

I imagine it's a fault somewhere at the top of the chimney letting rainwater in.  The water is stored by soaking into the bricks slowly or maybe a timber lintel and slowly dries through the internal plaster. 

 

Rather than risking life and limb on a ladder do you have any enterprising youth nearby with a drone that would take some videos and pics for a tenner?

 

As an aside what is in the area behind this wall? Is it a bathroom? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bethany89]

29 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

 

This suggests the "wetting" and "drying" are in balance if the dark patch stays is stable in size. 

 

I imagine it's a fault somewhere at the top of the chimney letting rainwater in.  The water is stored by soaking into the bricks slowly or maybe a timber lintel and slowly dries through the internal plaster. 

 

Rather than risking life and limb on a ladder do you have any enterprising youth nearby with a drone that would take some videos and pics for a tenner?

 

As an aside what is in the area behind this wall? Is it a bathroom? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you @Iceverge that's really helpful. Unfortunately I don't know anyone actually that has a drone but I can try find out as that's a good idea.

My builder friend is a bit of a loon bless him. Behind this wall is just a bedroom. There is a radiator on that wall further along but the pipes go straight down I would imagine so not really near that corner.

[bethany89]

5 hours ago, Blooda said:

 

It maybe the angle of the Photos, but the window reveal from the outside looks distinctly longer, thinner, is it possible to get a photo looking more head on to window, showing the lintel as well, and the current condition of the render.

@Blooda

 

Here's pictures of outside .

 

I have a builder suggesting it needs a damp proof tray inserting above the window from the outside and it's a scaffolding job...sounds expensive 😭😅

 

[Iceverge]

10 minutes ago, bethany89 said:

have a builder suggesting it needs a damp proof tray inserting above the window from the outside and it's a scaffolding job...sounds expensive 😭😅

 

I'm not sure this will solve it. Applying fixes without knowing the cause can be tempting but it's a quick way to burn cash without any guaranteed results. 

 

The render above the wall looks pretty good from what I can see. Better pics of course would help. Sellotaping your phone to a long stick and taking a video would work.  I've avoided a lot of dismantling by taking phone videos on areas my head wouldn't fit. 

 

Can you get into the attic and have a look at the chimney from the inside? 

 

Can you look in the bedroom and see if the corner begin that wall is damp?

 

Can you establish is it is a cavity wall or not? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bethany89]

17 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

 

I'm not sure this will solve it. Applying fixes without knowing the cause can be tempting but it's a quick way to burn cash without any guaranteed results. 

 

The render above the wall looks pretty good from what I can see. Better pics of course would help. Sellotaping your phone to a long stick and taking a video would work.  I've avoided a lot of dismantling by taking phone videos on areas my head wouldn't fit. 

 

Can you get into the attic and have a look at the chimney from the inside? 

 

Can you look in the bedroom and see if the corner begin that wall is damp?

 

Can you establish is it is a cavity wall or not? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm definitely not tempted @Icevergeas it sounds like an expensive work around to me.

 

I've managed to take a video with the phone outside of the window but it won't let me share it here as the file is too big.

 

I can get in the attic at the weekend.  I have had someone look at the chimney before on the inside and they never saw any issues. Before we took the paper off we had what we thought was a leaking running down but it was just condensation of some kind, maybe from this underlying issue ( I'll add pictures below)

 

Wall on other side looks fine but there is paper there however feels fine to touch.

 

EPC info online suggests cavity wall

 

 

[bethany89]

@Iceverge here's a link for the video 

https://we.tl/t-mkdMgjMJnm