Last year, we invested in repointing some of the walls on our solid stone former mill property. Scaffolding up three floors, removal of cement, and repointing two whole sides of the building.
Six months later, we are seeing water marks coming up on flagstones inside the house and evidence of moisture on both sides of a separate interior wall.
For context, we have been here for 7 years with no apparent issue for stones or walls inside - this damage has appeared 'suddenly' and indeed is spreading. It's also appearing at a very dry time of year - and it's been pretty dry here for most of 2025; in sodden years, we've seen nothing like this at all.
After seeing this I arranged a damp survey done and the advice boils down to: 'this is penetrating damp, screed, and replaster the walls, and live with the rest - it's an old property'. Sadly, my gut says this is wrong, but I am not an expert. I've also read enough here and elsewhere to know that 'screed and replaster' is a recipe for just pushing moisture somewhere else - which the damp survey does concede. He took damp readings, and in the worst spot, the timbers and plaster are saturated.
I'm currently trying to find and resolve the issue without 'expertise', and I'm hoping someone here can help me figure out a way forward and the cause.
a) Somehow it's associated with the repointing - I mention this as it's the only work we've done in the last 12 months around this part of the house. It seems a bit unfair that it would cause this inside, given it was entirely to benefit the building, but if its the cause, I'm unsure how to solve the interior issue.
b) It is indeed penetrating damp. It's possible that the timing is just a coincidence. Accordingly, I'd have to confirm if these walls are lime plastered somehow (?), and live with wet stone floors? The survey also suggests a French drain outside, especially where an exterior concrete ground level is higher than the interior level (sadly, I can't do anything to bring the floor outside lower; we are very low in a valley and our septic and mains water pipework comes this way). I am a little unsure - given the dryness mentioned above, and the speed with which we are seeing the issue present itself. Nonetheless, if this is the cause, fixing this becomes a question of tolerance I suppose; what we are prepared to live with, as being down in a valley, I can't do too much to stop moisture under the building.
c) It is something else. Our mains water pipe, I think, tracks roughly where this damp is appearing, apart from under the stairs. Maybe this has sprung a leak? Hopefully, our insurance will help us at least identify the issue.
I appreciate it's impossible to diagnose - given what I am seeing and experiencing, if anyone has a view, I'll gladly hear it. Similarly, if I can answer any questions,I'd be happy to do so.
Cheers
Water coming up between stones under the stairs on the east side of the building - we've had salts appear on the exterior wall before, but they disappeared. First time this has happened.
corner of our utility room; this is roughly where, I assume, our mains water comes into the building. moisture up around the end of the stones.
opposite side of the same room. This is an interior wall, not connected to any exterior wall. Our mains water must come under this wall somewhere, in order to get to our kitchen. Apparent moisture between the flags and capillary action in the wall. Someone has put a damp proofing at the bottom of this wall before our time here. Also timber door frames here are saturated.
.
The other side of the same wall - you can see the DPC in the far corner. The pointing on the floor here is wet to the touch.
Six months later, we are seeing water marks coming up on flagstones inside the house and evidence of moisture on both sides of a separate interior wall.
For context, we have been here for 7 years with no apparent issue for stones or walls inside - this damage has appeared 'suddenly' and indeed is spreading. It's also appearing at a very dry time of year - and it's been pretty dry here for most of 2025; in sodden years, we've seen nothing like this at all.
After seeing this I arranged a damp survey done and the advice boils down to: 'this is penetrating damp, screed, and replaster the walls, and live with the rest - it's an old property'. Sadly, my gut says this is wrong, but I am not an expert. I've also read enough here and elsewhere to know that 'screed and replaster' is a recipe for just pushing moisture somewhere else - which the damp survey does concede. He took damp readings, and in the worst spot, the timbers and plaster are saturated.
I'm currently trying to find and resolve the issue without 'expertise', and I'm hoping someone here can help me figure out a way forward and the cause.
a) Somehow it's associated with the repointing - I mention this as it's the only work we've done in the last 12 months around this part of the house. It seems a bit unfair that it would cause this inside, given it was entirely to benefit the building, but if its the cause, I'm unsure how to solve the interior issue.
b) It is indeed penetrating damp. It's possible that the timing is just a coincidence. Accordingly, I'd have to confirm if these walls are lime plastered somehow (?), and live with wet stone floors? The survey also suggests a French drain outside, especially where an exterior concrete ground level is higher than the interior level (sadly, I can't do anything to bring the floor outside lower; we are very low in a valley and our septic and mains water pipework comes this way). I am a little unsure - given the dryness mentioned above, and the speed with which we are seeing the issue present itself. Nonetheless, if this is the cause, fixing this becomes a question of tolerance I suppose; what we are prepared to live with, as being down in a valley, I can't do too much to stop moisture under the building.
c) It is something else. Our mains water pipe, I think, tracks roughly where this damp is appearing, apart from under the stairs. Maybe this has sprung a leak? Hopefully, our insurance will help us at least identify the issue.
I appreciate it's impossible to diagnose - given what I am seeing and experiencing, if anyone has a view, I'll gladly hear it. Similarly, if I can answer any questions,I'd be happy to do so.
Cheers
Water coming up between stones under the stairs on the east side of the building - we've had salts appear on the exterior wall before, but they disappeared. First time this has happened.
corner of our utility room; this is roughly where, I assume, our mains water comes into the building. moisture up around the end of the stones.
opposite side of the same room. This is an interior wall, not connected to any exterior wall. Our mains water must come under this wall somewhere, in order to get to our kitchen. Apparent moisture between the flags and capillary action in the wall. Someone has put a damp proofing at the bottom of this wall before our time here. Also timber door frames here are saturated.
.
The other side of the same wall - you can see the DPC in the far corner. The pointing on the floor here is wet to the touch.
