Efflorescence on internal wall, how to get rid of it?

[robodelfy]

Hi, I bought my Victorian terraced house 5 years ago and the wall that joins my neighbours has a big part of what I'm guessing is efflorescence, just inside the front door in the hallway.

As far as I can tell it hasn't got much worse over the years or better. But when I paint over it or sand it down it comes back. How do I get rid of it?

If that wall is damp I don't understand why, if it just joins my neighbours house. But I'm not very experienced with these things

 

[^woody^]

If it's not damp, you need to take the plaster off, neutralise the salts in the wall with a suitable wash, then replaster.

But it looks like damp.

 

[robodelfy]

If it's not damp, you need to take the plaster off, neutralise the salts in the wall with a suitable wash, then replaster.

But it looks like damp.

Thanks, how can you tell its damp from the photos. Also, any idea what possible causes of damp could be in a wall between two terraced houses? And as far as I can tell it hasn't spread over the years

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

the bare plaster patch looks damp , that’s not to say it’s damp.
hygroscopic salts absorb moisture from the air giving an impression of moisture within the wall . i’d get the box off the pipes and board the wall /box the pipes in one go all nice n flat. looks like theres enough depth there.
looks like my mother skimmed it.

 

[robodelfy]

the bare plaster patch looks damp , that’s not to say it’s damp.
hygroscopic salts absorb moisture from the air giving an impression of moisture within the wall . i’d get the box off the pipes and board the wall /box the pipes in one go all nice n flat. looks like theres enough depth there.
looks like my mother skimmed it.

Yeah it was like that when I bought it and I never got round to sorting it!

Are you saying plasterboard over it? Not just skim over it

 

[sxturbo]

you spoken to the neighbours and seen if they have the same thing?

could the dpc have failed in the wall?

 

[robodelfy]

you spoken to the neighbours and seen if they have the same thing?

could the dpc have failed in the wall?

Yeah I did ask them and they said they didnt notice anything. The two houses next to mine were clearly built much later, as they are totally different looking houses, so mine could well have been the end of terrace at some point in the past. maybe this has something to do with it

 

[^woody^]

It's a bit high up to be rising damp, and presumably there is a bedroom above so not a roof issue, and barring any possible leaky pipework, that leaves potential for sideward movement from the wall around that door. Is the pointing OK, no leaking gutters?

There could have been a bad batch of plaster or some salts in the wall bricks at those locations, but it does seem that that area has got wet at some stage or is still damp.

Either way that plaster needs to come off, then you can look at the wall, and if you are confident that there are no other defects then apply a neutralising solution and replaster - possibly a renovation plaster to be sure.

 

[robodelfy]

It's a bit high up to be rising damp, and presumably there is a bedroom above so not a roof issue, and barring any possible leaky pipework, that leaves potential for sideward movement from the wall around that door. Is the pointing OK, no leaking gutters?

There could have been a bad batch of plaster or some salts in the wall bricks at those locations, but it does seem that that area has got wet at some stage or is still damp.

Either way that plaster needs to come off, then you can look at the wall, and if you are confident that there are no other defects then apply a neutralising solution and replaster - possibly a renovation plaster to be sure.

Thanks , good advice

Yeah maybe I need to hack it back in that area and see whats going on

You're right it's a bedroom above. I haven't noticed any issues around the door. What gutters could affect it? It's on the ground floor

I'll have a better look tomorrow

 

[ted456]

Whats happening on the neighbour's side of the party wall?
Is there a bathroom above your neighbours?

As above, its damp and the whole wall needs hacking off back to brick.
Thats probably not simply bad skimming but historical attempts to cover previous damp signs.
Above the meter there's peeling paint and a rough surface.

For nothing but where do you isolate the meter?

 

[robodelfy]

Whats happening on the neighbour's side of the party wall?
Is there a bathroom above your neighbours?

As above, its damp and the whole wall needs hacking off back to brick.
Thats probably not simply bad skimming but historical attempts to cover previous damp signs.
Above the meter there's peeling paint and a rough surface.

For nothing but where do you isolate the meter?

I'm not sure exactly what's happening on their side. I'd have to ask. I know directly on the other side is just a hallway, but I don't know what's above.

I'll have to look tomorrow but I don't think that's peeling paint behind the meter. I think the last people were lazy and didn't paint behind it for some reason.

Sorry I don't understand your last sentence?

 

[ted456]

Thats peeling paint - i'm not talking about the unpainted patch.

My question is nothing to do with your damp question, its just a safety observation.
An isolator is a shut-off valve that enables you to shut off the supply to the meter especially if something goes wrong - where's your shut-off?

 

[Nige F]

Thats peeling paint - i'm not talking about the unpainted patch.

My question is nothing to do with your damp question, its just a safety observation.
An isolator is a shut-off valve that enables you to shut off the supply to the meter especially if something goes wrong - where's your shut-off?

Behind the boxing next to the door ? Good to know there's ted the Gas Safety person watching the forum .

 

[robodelfy]

Thats peeling paint - i'm not talking about the unpainted patch.

My question is nothing to do with your damp question, its just a safety observation.
An isolator is a shut-off valve that enables you to shut off the supply to the meter especially if something goes wrong - where's your shut-off?

Ah I see. Yeah the shut off is further down at knee level in the boxing if I remember correctly

 

[Nige F]

Sorry I don't understand your last sentence?

Not many do