Breeze Block Damp Advice

[William Atkinson]

Hi,

We have damp issues on the inside of our bedroom walls. As you can see, it is primarily located around our window areas.

The walls have been built using breeze blocks.

Could anyone advise a course of action that a layman such as me could administer to correct the problem or do I need to hire a professional?

Thanks
Will

 

[JohnD]

might be rain penetration round the window frames
but one of the pictures seems to show the paper hanging down off the ceiling
What tanks and pipes are in the loft over the wet area
what is the condition of the roof


how old is the house

how old are the windows

when did the damp start

please post photos of the outside, including close-ups of the top and the side of the frames where they meet the walls

and more photos of the inside, the heads of the windows and the walls right up to the ceiling, and of the ceiling.

and of the external wall above, right up to the gutters (are they blocked or leaking?).

how do you dry your wet clothes after washing them?

 

[William Atkinson]

Hi,

I've taken a few photos of the roof tiles and the outside of the windows.

As far as I can see there is no pipework in the loft. However it is dark and not easy to see past various beams/rafters. There are certainly no tanks up there.

The building is from the mid 1970s. Windows too, I guess.

The damp has been an issue since we moved in 3 years ago. I am told that the previous occupier had some issues with it too though.

The gutters are not blocked as far as I can see.

We use a tumble dryer.

 

[tony1851]

If the build is 1970s, could it be cold-bridging by returning the inner skin to the outer skin without an insulating dpc, or no dpc at all?

 

[William Atkinson]

God knows. I do know that there is no insulating layer (by modern standards) under the roof.

 

[JohnD]

the gable wall, and the window in it, look like they have mildew as if persistently damp. Do you think rain blows or runs off the edge of the roof?

the small flat roof looks like it is holding water, which may make the house walls damp where they abut it.

I don't see an obvious defect around the windows, and the little peak is a nice touch to throw water off during heavy rain.

There is no gutter on the pitched roofs overhanging the small flat roof, so this will lead to water splashing onto the walls and making them wet. I think I can see rucked-up felt as well. New gutters and some lead flashing are needed. The old felt probably needs replacing.

There is green algae on the end of the wall where there is corbelling on the corner, indicating a long-term gutter fault, possibly a blockage or a leaky joint.

Are the floors concrete?

Take a cold glass bottle of water or something out of the fridge and stand it in the room with the damp. Put another in a room without damp. Is there a striking difference in the amount of condensation on the cold bottles? And in the kitchen?

Do you get black mildew behind large furniture, such as wardrobes, pushed against the walls?

 

[noseall]

Looks like standard cold bridging condensation to me. Typical of a steamy bedroom.

 

[William Atkinson]

Hi,

Yes, the floors are concrete.

I think that, by the sounds of it, it is mildew.

Are there any treatments, in particular, for mildew as opposed to other types of damp?

Yes, the guttering is clear. However, the drain pipe that the guttering flows into could well be blocked. Would this be a pipe cleaner job or would it require something more invasive?

Thanks
Will