damp patches around window frames

[David J Williams]

Hi
not sure if this a window issue but I am in this house for the first winter and I am getting black mould around the window frame where it meets the wall. The walls of the house are solid stone around 2ft thick. The house is in 2 sections and the more modern section with cavity walls is not showing any damp. I believe all the windows in the property were replaced at the same time. I am wondering if the fitting company did not fit the windows in the old part of the house correctly. I do have a problem with water ingress above one of the other windows (window cladding leak picture) but it is hard to tell exactly where it is coming through due to wooden cladding in the window casement. It also looks like a DPM has been installed under the planks above the window but it doesn't appear to have worked as water drips through around the middle plank when it rains

I am unsure if this is a window or penetrating damp issue or cowboy window fitters

 

[Sonic70]

Could be due to condensation. Warm moist air hitting a cold surface and condensing. plus there might be poor airflow in that window alcove. Do you also get a lot of condensation on the window glass?

 

[David J Williams]

No not a lot. It does get a bit steamy when cooking sometimes if someone hasn't put the extractor on. I am going to try some window trickle vents to see if they help

 

[Wayners]

Look up, air the house. In Germany it's part of rent agreements. Looks like condensation so reading up may help you control It. Get a humidity monitor so you can assess what's going on will help

 

[David J Williams]

Thanks both for the helpful advice. I will see if ventilation helps helps

 

[Mr Chibs]

Might be a good idea to post some photos of the outside of the window. The internal reveals look like they have been filled/painted before, I'm wondering if this is an old issue tarted up along the way?

 

[David J Williams]

Hi taken some external pictures and one internal of the window with the leak above as the internal paint is peeling and the gypsum plaster coming off the wall. I think this may be due to the breathability of the wall not being maintained due to moisture being trapped in the wall

 

[Odds]

Hi taken some external pictures and one internal of the window with the leak above as the internal paint is peeling and the gypsum plaster coming off the wall. I think this may be due to the breathability of the wall not being maintained due to moisture being trapped in the wall

Maybe replace the beading around the window and fill with fresh sealant? Then take out the affected plaster and treat the brick to a dpc before replastering.

 

[David J Williams]

Hi The beading does look like it needs a bit of attention particularly above the window that is leaking as the top beading is screwed in at the corners. The wall is a 2 ft thick cob wall so not sure about the dpc

 

[David J Williams]

I have just removed some of the plaster that had blown around the larger window that has a leak above it and the wall under the top layer of plaster is soaked. The black I first thought it was mould but It looks like the previous owner may have painted bitumen paint to try to seal the surface.

 

[Old Salt]

What about the crack in the render in the second external window pic

 

[David J Williams]

Hi Thanks for the reply. I checked the render around the windows in the summer and found it to be intact. The layers of paint applied over the years has cracked in places and I applied a bit of cement to fill them as I did intend on painting the house but ran out of time

 

[David J Williams]

since posting this I have located the fault with the window that has a leak at the top. I took down cladding that was above the window and it seems like the window has been installed by the previous owner. The window was too short in height and a gap of around an inch and a half has been left unfilled at the top A Upvc strip has been stuck over the outside in an attempt to cover the gap this has failed allowing water to soak down through the internal plaster work thus soaking the internal walls. The problem now is how to fix this given the current weather

 

[Koolpc]

Expanding foam...

 

[David J Williams]

The previous owner used foam above the living room window but it also leaks but not as bad as in the kitchen. I am thinking of taking up the gap with brick slips and render and then resealing around with frame sealant. Can the foam be used in the damp if I dry as best I can the frame?