odd job Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Hi hopefully someone can offer some Ideas as Im now out of them ? We moved into a 100 year old cottage a couple of years ago and everythings fine APART from the back bedroom Chimnay breast , When we first moved in the chimnay was WET down one side ? in places so we removed the plaster and found half of the chimnay breast appeared to be wet or very damp? We thought that if we left it a while it would dry out with no plaster on but it didnt . We then thought of replacing the render on the outside as a builder said it was coming in from there, so we replaced all the render and spent a fortune. Left it again to dry and it was the same and didnt improve it. . . Next we had another builder who said rain was coming down the old chimnay pots and we needed gas cowls again spending money and again it hasnt worked . The last time a builder came and said it may be the roof , so we have spent more money improving the roof.... Its STILL NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM so after 3 or 4 different builders , and a small fortune its still WET down one side ? ? ? Has anyone else had this problem or know how to fix it pleaSE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Can you clarify. Wet or damp? What type of heating system do you have? And how old is it? Are there any water pipes running near the chimney breast under the floor boards? Is the bedroom on the ground or upper floors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odd job Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 its not damp its more wet to touch sometimes we have gas central heating and its 4 years old the house is 100 years old no pipes in the chimnay breast the room is on a 1st floor of a semi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hard2miss Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 check the flashing on the roof and point everything up. Probably going to need a scaffold to do the job right and safe. Is the chimney in some sort of use and if not can you cap off the top and just put a vent on the top ? Also, 100 year old houses can have wells in them daft as it sounds that just get concreted over which when the water table is high fill up and get drawn in up the brick work. I know this last comment is probably going too far but daft things happen in buildings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 its not damp its more wet to touch sometimes we have gas central heating and its 4 years old the house is 100 years old no pipes in the chimnay breast the room is on a 1st floor of a semi If it's still wet to the touch through a period of little rain then you probably have a leak. A pipe can have an almost microscopic hole and project a jet of water onto the nearest surface...this could be under your boards "near" the breast. Central heating: Is it a pressurised system or gravity fed? Water/damp rising tends not to rise higher than about a metre from source so unlikely to be ground problems. As suggested...lead soakers, flashings, aprons, trays could be a prob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odd job Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 Thank you again for the replys The flashing was checked and the ridge tiles pointed We have put a vent on the chimney well removed the edwardian chimnay pots and put on gas fire silver cowls As for wells we do have one but would the damp/ wet be downstairs not one floor up ? Central heating: Is it a pressurised system What are aprons, trays could be a prob. ? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.