Damp from leaks (ed.)

[Odds]

Good morning all
I have an ongoing problem with damp in a corner of my kitchen that i need some help to resolve. Above the kitchen is our bathroom where a leaking shower tray caused some of the damp and is now fixed; i think a leaky pipe may be to blame for more damp above the kitchen window but it's an unpredictable problem....it seems to leak only when more pressure is put through the pipe when i turn up the shower spray through a hi-pressure head.
This results in patches of water along the right side of the window sill that are easily wiped dry but the damp remains a big problem along the top of the window frame, inside and out.
There's a great deal of efflourescence on the lintel above the window outside and i fear the unseen damage within the brickwork may end up costing alot of money unless a solution is soon found.
What can i do?
I've taken out the plaster on one wall where the damp had flaked away the render and soaked through the brick; this appears to be drying now the leak above is fixed but the area above the window may be beyond my reach.

On days when i can get a breeze going i'm trying to 'air' the area out but this will taken ages.
As i'm halfway through decorating the kitchen i cannot make any progress until this problem is fixed. Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[tel765]

Your description of your problems is confusing - has a plumber investigated the bathroom plumbing and suspect pipe?
Could you stand back in the kitchen, and take pics showing a larger view of that wall and window?
And pics showing the bathroom/shower?
And pics showing the outside wall at ground level - the window - and the lintel?

 

[Bosswhite]

Invest in a Dehumidifier a free standing one 10/12 litre , without one it can take many weeks to dry out thoroughly for redecoration . leave on 24/7 you will be amazed at the amount of water it will remove from the room .

 

[Odds]

I already have a dehumidifier, so i wouldn't be that astonished to see how much water can be drawn out...i've left it on overnight in the kitchen and taken out a litre in that short space of time.
The brick is drying out and i've been told a damp brick can dry out at the rate of an inch per week, so next month i'll try replastering the affected area.

To check the pipes in the bathroom is a whole new adventure. I'd have to rip up the cork tiles and the hardboard underlay just to get at the floorboards - and if i do that i may as well redo the whole bathroom. I really don't want to do this but in the end may have little choice.

 

[JohnD]

On days when i can get a breeze going i'm trying to 'air' the area out but this will taken ages.
As i'm halfway through decorating the kitchen i cannot make any progress until this problem is fixed. Any ideas are appreciated.

Putting an ordinary domestic fan to blow at the wet patch will accelerate evaporation. Like hanging washing out on a rainy day. You then need to remove the damp air, either by opening the windows or with a dehumidifier.

Removing the plaster will speed drying.

But you MUST cure the source of water first.

 

[tel765]

You can investigate the bathroom floor through the ceiling of the room below and by removing the bath panel - but by doing what i suggested above you could speed your investigation up.