Is a damp membrane suitable for the interior walls in my period property

[Debbie Walker]

Hi I have recently had a damp survey done by Peter Cox who have diagnosed penetrating damp suggesting damp membrane for all the interior walls . While I agree I have penetrating damp not convinced its the right solution. I am aware to use breathable products on period buildings. last year had the house re rendered using lime render paint ect.
I am assuming when I had plastering done years back that they used cement plaster which wouldn't help. Its my belief that the damp is now trapped between the new exterior lime render and the interior cement plaster. I have a slate damp course which is party blocked which I intend to get cleared. Also plan on more air bricks.
Also been advised to use PVA in and new plaster and on the rear brick exterior before its painted next summer.
Any advice gratefully received .
Thanks Debbie

 

[Kearn]

Hell no. It’s a shame you’ve paid these fraudsters money.

They have zero clue, or maybe just zero care, about how to treat a period property.

You’re exactly right, both of those ‘recommendations’ are atrocious. Damaging, expensive, irreversible and will make the issue worse.

Have a search through the forum, you’ll get a lot of the same advice on how to approach this.

 

[stuart45]

The first step if it's penetrating damp is to identify where the moisture is getting in from.
What type of walls have you got? E.g. Solid brick, cavity etc. Not sure what you mean about a blocked DPC.

 

[Cubist]

@Kearn is right and you should indeed fire that surveyor or refuse to pay.

One of the things to remember is that breathability of a building is ideally 'one way'. It's indoors to outdoors you want and need to dispel the moisture accumulated indoors merely through human occupation. In your case as you now have a lime render outdoors the house will still be breathing but at a rate below optimum due to the gysum plaster indoors. Your best plan is, after tracking down and eliminating any sources of water penetration is to replace the gypsum plaster indoors.

 

[Debbie Walker]

Hell no. It’s a shame you’ve paid these fraudsters money.

They have zero clue, or maybe just zero care, about how to treat a period property.

You’re exactly right, both of those ‘recommendations’ are atrocious. Damaging, expensive, irreversible and will make the issue worse.

Have a search through the forum, you’ll get a lot of the same advice on how to approach this.

Thanks for your input

 

[Debbie Walker]

The first step if it's penetrating damp is to identify where the moisture is getting in from.
What type of walls have you got? E.g. Solid brick, cavity etc. Not sure what you mean about a blocked DPC.

solid brick walls . the Dpc has been blocked when the council resurfaced the pavement infront of my house

 

[Debbie Walker]

@Kearn is right and you should indeed fire that surveyor or refuse to pay.

One of the things to remember is that breathability of a building is ideally 'one way'. It's indoors to outdoors you want and need to dispel the moisture accumulated indoors merely through human occupation. In your case as you now have a lime render outdoors the house will still be breathing but at a rate below optimum due to the gysum plaster indoors. Your best plan is, after tracking down and eliminating any sources of water penetration is to replace the gypsum plaster indoors.

the idea at the moment is to knock of the cement plaster on the front interior walls leave to dry over the winter add air bricks then replaster with lime plaster in the spring .

 

[stuart45]

solid brick walls . the Dpc has been blocked when the council resurfaced the pavement infront of my house

That's always a problem when the council do that. In recent years surveyors have called the issue LLPD, or Low Level Penetrating Damp. It's quite commonly misdiagnosed for rising damp.
The blocking of your DPC is known as bridging the DPC in the trade.
Remedial work to stop the damp is more difficult when you don't have control of the external ground levels.

 

[IHateDamp]

That's always a problem when the council do that. In recent years surveyors have called the issue LLPD, or Low Level Penetrating Damp. It's quite commonly misdiagnosed for rising damp.
The blocking of your DPC is known as bridging the DPC in the trade.
Remedial work to stop the damp is more difficult when you don't have control of the external ground levels.

Depending on the location of the pavement and how wide it is, I wonder if it's possible to work with the council.

Has anyone ever tried ??

 

[a twig]

I tried once to get a dropped kerb installed on a council pavement, took 4 months to get the approval and then I had to choose from a list of “approved contractors” who unsurprisingly were not charging sensible rates - worked out roughly £1000 per kerb stone replaced

 

[IHateDamp]

The rebel in me would want to use stealth tactics to dig away the payment piece by piece very slowly; slow enough for nobody to notice. Or go full throttle with high-viz and a helmet as if you are the council. I don't think anyone gives a monkeys unless it affects them.