Q at my mothers bungalow she has a damp patch over the chimney breast. The half of the chimney breast corresponding to the flue for the bedroom itself is dry. Rising marks along with yellow or brown stains on the walls are a good indicator that theres a leak. Damp patch and staining on the internal chimney breast. There are a few possibilities that could be causing your damp patches. If the fireplace is blocked up as well, this rainwater cant evaporate and will cause serious dampness. Ive had identical damp patches on the chimney breast walls in two houses ive owned both victorian. Assuming the damp is on the chimney breast itself, i am still favouring something being left in the chimney andor it being damp from before the stack was reduced. Damp patches on internal chimney breast despite replaced slates, fixed flashing and repointed chimney stack. Feb 09, 2009 q at my mothers bungalow she has a damp patch over the chimney breast. How to diagnose the cause of cracks in brick, concrete block and stone chimneys.
The sudden appearance of a damp patch that often looks like a brown stain on the inside of an exterior wall, in the upper corners of a room, on a ceiling or near a chimney breast. Damp patch on new plaster the original plasterers forum. We all know that papering over the cracks is not a good solution to a problem. During the exchange we noticed a damp patch on the chimney in the lounge. I own a 1900s end terraced house that had some damp water ingress via the defective chimney stack on the gable end, the chimney stack has been removed as the water was travelling down the gable wall and showing as damp on the internal wall and chimney breast its a solid wall, not cavity, this. Home damp damp stains on a chimney breast and adjacent ceiling it may be salts. First port of call would be to have a roofer call by and check whether your. Dont let santa get damp dealing with a damp chimney.
Damp proof course have a look to see if your chimney breast has a damp. The damp stains on the chimney breast, is it salt damp or a. How to evaluate the importance of cracks in masonry chimneys. No other part of the chimney breast shows signs of damp. Ive been in the loft and there no leaking from the roof i can see to that area, nor from both the pipes that lead from the tank to the pipes that run down the side of the chimney breast, that run to the heating for the hot water. Symptom damp patches on or around chimney breasts sometimes showing yellow or brown stains in wallpaper or paint you have hygroscopic chimney salts that are attracting moisture from the air, which may include tars and other chemicals from burning wood or coal. Dec 09, 2017 chimney damp diagnosis is impossible to understand with just a damp meter. The wall that the damp patch is on is the adjoining wall between us and next door semidetached, and the patch es are close to the ground, dont extend more than a meter or so up the wall. Staining and damp patches have started to appear on your chimney breast never a good sign. Applying a dpm directly over the area isolates the salty background from the new finish. This is due to the fact that most chimney breasts are heavily contaminated with moistureattracting hygroscopic salts that have accumulated in the chimney structure due to the burning of coal and wood over many decades. Theres a damp patch next to our chimney breast on the wall next to the breast, which has been growing over time, and a couple of little damp spots elsewhere on the chimney breast.
Comments off on we have a leaking chimney stack, what do we do. There are various patches which i think are down to various reasons. Dont let santa get damp dealing with a damp chimney damp. There are no visible signs on the outside wall to indicate where water would be taken in and in any case, the damp is on an inside wall and i wondered, before i call the builder in, if. Find out what causes damp patches including issues such as cracked mortar, roof tiles, damaged guttering or lead flashing and find out how to fix them once and for all. However, the two chimney breast walls have been showing signs of damp patch and salt contamination. If the fireplace is blocked up as well, this rainwater can. After the work is done, most of the dampness was solved and we were pleased. Apr 15, 2008 i have a chimney breast upstairs that gets a large damp patch in the middle when it rains heavily. The main reasons for dampness occuring on chimney breasts is down to the following. The house is a 1920s old town house and 6 years ago i had it all renovated took all the plaster off the walls and dabdotted and over the last year or so i have noticed a damp patch just above the skirting board pic below. There are two vents, both at skirting board level on 1st and ground floor.
Nov 12, 2011 by patches i mean like grease marks on the chimney breast walls, i freshly painted my bedroom in a good quality magnolia emulsion and now these marks have appeared and the walls feel damp, no black mould as yet as i ventilate the cottage regularly by opening the windows and doors and have the heating on in the evenings these marks remind of. Jul 11, 2019 this video explains how to diagnose a damp chimney and how to prevent damp from getting into the chimney in the first place. The patch was about 34 of the way up the chimney from the floor and around 30cm x 40cm in size. Some patches appearing on interior walls and not by pipes so lets assume its not caused from dpc or pipes etc.
Reoccuring dampness nr chimney breast page 1 homes. Hi all, we have a damp chimney breast two large damp patches on the front, to. We often see and hear about homes with yellowy brown damp patches at the top of chimney breasts. Find out the source of the problem and make repairs to prevent further water ingress. Damp problems on chimney breasts are a completely different kettle of fish when it comes to diagnosis, there is no way possible that you can. Any builders can give me any advise as i have a few damp patches on my chimney breast in the back room. Inside the chimney is cold and damp but then its outside air and been raining a lot. Readings from between 24% wme to 54% wme were taken across the damp stains, the rest of the breast just gave the readings you would expect from a dry wall.
Wet patches on wall chimney breast removal property tribes. The first option is to install a meshed damp proof membrane to the chimney breast. So i got myself some damp stain block paint, whacked it on, redecorated and hey presto gone. Close up of fluffy white salts on a chimney breast. A catalog of types and causes of cracks in masonry chimneys, cracks and spits in brick chimney sides what is their cause, significance, danger. Apr 07, 2016 in the below picture you can see the damp patch stain on the chimney breast and the adjacent wall.
A damp chimney will have moisture situated only around the fireplace and chimney breast. I believe the council remedied this and it was something leaking on the chimney stack. One of the problems we have been left with is damp patches on walls. Because this is sulphate salt contamination which has happened as a result of the soot on the inside of the flue becoming wet. Damp patches how to stop damp patches on internal walls. Damp looking patches appeared on chimney breast walls. The chimney is strange that it obviously used to be. Damp patch and staining on the chimney breast and plasterboard ceiling. A picture in picture thermal image showing the dampness, note the holes are warm still from the drilling of the mortar samples. Feb 01, 2009 told by a neighbour, a 100cm wide by 20cm deep chimney breast.
If your chimney stack is capped, make sure it has a wellventilated cap or cowl to ensure there is no moisture build up. If the chimney pots are left open, rain will run down the flue and make the fireplace damp. I have a chimney breast upstairs that gets a large damp patch in the middle when it rains heavily. We explain why damp on chimney breasts can persist, even after the source of water has been addressed. Victorian houses sometimes had flashings made from cheaper zinc or just thick strips of mortar, which are prone to cracking. Hi have had whole house replasted recently and turns out the guy was a cowboy. Where staining appears through a chimney breast it. For fixing to damp or salty walls onto bare masonry or bare render, but not over gypsum based plaster. Property repair systems is open for business 01626 872886 chimney damp explained in plain english.
Damp on chimney wall hydroscopic salts page 1 homes. Could be, will the damp patch go after the roofer has been. The rest of the chimney breast feels dry and seems fine so its just that patch. Damp stains on a chimney breast and adjacent ceiling it. This is after, you can see the hygroscopic salts on the chimney breast now damp looking patch at the top of the chimney breast, also notice the vertical profile up the wall, bre digest 245. The damp stains on the chimney breast, is it salt damp or. Damp sam walks round this property that alldry are working on and explains about hygroscopic salts on chimney breasts and why you need to. Damp chimney breasts and hygroscopic salt contamination.
Take a look at our guide to find out more about these problems and how to fix them 1. How to fix a damp chimney breast damp chimney breast. Damp stains on a chimney breast and adjacent ceiling it may. Damp patches on walls, ceilings, and chimney breasts below usually evident as brown staining are signs of a leak around the chimney stack. Rising dampness this will be on the ground floor skirting board level and is ground water coming up through the brickwork. The patches on the wall are darker than the surrounding. August 7, 2011 very damp at base of chimney breast. Some signs include brown plaster staining on your chimney breast or you might have damp patches on your chimney breast that come and go. Problem chimneys can provide a route for water to access the interior of a property. Click for home page chimney breast indoor walls damp problems. The opinion of two damp specialists seem to be that it is salts, and nothing can be done unless we knocked the chimney breast down external wall, not likely. Might be cheaper to call them once and for all than to keep calling back local nonspecialists to repeatedly try and patch it up. The method of application for treating chimney damp using the dryzone express replastering system is as follows.
Mar 12, 2018 damp proof course have a look to see if your chimney breast has a damp proof course. Im finding that the number of enquiries relating to damp stains on chimneys is on the up. When we moved in there was a damp patch high up on the wall. Jun 23, 20 any builders can give me any advise as i have a few damp patches on my chimney breast in the back room. The signs of chimney damp can be similar to the signs of regular damp, except they all occur around your fireplace or chimney. There is also a similar patch on the other side of the chimney breast. Dimpled plastic sheet, which provides an insulating air gap. Damp chimney breasts secondary chimney damp even when the underlying source of dampness has been dealt with, damp patches on chimney breasts can be very persistent. Symptom damp patches on the ground floor at low level, right down to the skirting board that come and go you have hygroscopic salts that are attracting moisture from the air. This lasts about 34 days and then becomes almost unnoticeable. We show you how to fix a damp chimney breast including details on how to find the cause of the damp such as damaged guttering, cracked lead flashing or cracked chimney stack mortar and then how to repair the source of the damp and also the damage that has been caused to internal decoration.
Damp patches, above skirting board in and around area of blocked up chimney breast house built in 1840s. And again, hygroscopic salts on the external wall of the chimney. The damp stains on the chimney breast, is it salt damp or a leak. If you notice damp on your chimney breast, you need to treat it as soon as possible.
This is a layer of slate or plastic a few inches above the ground, some older properties were built without these. I can also see a few holes in the lath and plaster further up the wall we filled years back with bonding the. Do you have a problem damp patch on a chimney breast which will not go away. Membranes such as the permaseal and platon membrane can be installed straight away meaning a drastically reduced project time. I had the brickwork pointing checked fine, airbricks checked, chimney pots checked, etc, etc, and couldnt find the cause of the problem. Damp patches on the chimney breast, brown or yellow marks on the walls and ceilings surrounding the chimney often point to damage caused by a water leak or building faults such as inadequate guttering, missing roof tiles, poor flashing details and absorbent masonry. I have just moved the bed away slightly as i think this could have been restricting the airflow slightly.
It just seems to get damp once a day, if i put the gas fire on seems to dry out in about 1525 min. The flashings on the roof and chimney have been replaced. The last roofer said the dampness isnt coming from the roof. First port of call would be to have a roofer call by and check whether your leadwork is all intact and performing its proper function, on older homes in particular the back gutter bit where roof meets chimney can be perforated by a slipped tile or slate. You can now see where the chimney breast used to be, the whole are where the chimney breast was is now damp, after the humidifiers were running for around 10 minutes. Weve had a flexible stainless steel liner installed. There arguably should be some ventilation in the chimney and an airbrick or equivalent should have been left in each fireplace when they were sealed up.
The most likely cause of this kind of damp patch or stain is hygroscopic salts in the flue along with creosote and tar. There has been a damp patch on the plaster ceiling next to the chimney breast for years, it never gets any bigger but keeps coming through the paint. They had theirs removed when they converted the corresponding room in their house to a bathroom. Damp breast page 1 homes, gardens and diy pistonheads. We have had a meshmembrane put between the wall and. A picture in picture thermal image showing the dampness, note the holes are. Chimney damp damp sealing screwfix community forum. Again you can clearly see the damp patch where the old chimney was. When it rains heavily damp patches appear at the top of the wall and on the part of the ceiling nearest the chimney breast. Weve also stripped back the old wallpaper and redecorated. The different causes of damp patches, condensation and damp patches on internal walls and how to stop damp forming on your walls once and for all. Other visual signs can be a damp chimney breast and ceiling, damp walls either side of your chimney breast, damp in your loft or attic space around the chimney area or even damp halfway up a chimney breast. After painting it and that damp patch coming and going, i did lots of research and found it was hygroscopic salts, the damp patch tastes salty too, i licked the wall hee hee. Why is there a damp patch and staining on my chimney breast.
Chimney breast damp what causes stains and damp patches and. I have a patch of damp just above the mantle piece on one of my chimney breasts, about 10 in diameter. I have had 3 roofing companies out the last 3 winters to make repairs. This short video explains how, and why you need to take plaster samples to find out exactly what is going on. Chimney damp diagnosis is impossible to understand with just a damp meter. This is what you sometimes see on an old property where the chimney is, this is hygroscopic salts that have migrated through the bricks. Flashing has been replaced, brickwork repointed, all brickwork water sealed and i have just had the pots capped, but the damp is sitll there. Damp around this area or in the brickwork is a tell tale sign. In the below picture you can see the damp patch stain on the chimney breast and the adjacent wall. Damp stains on a chimney breast and adjacent ceiling it may be salts.
A survey to bre digest 245, rising damp in walls diagnosis and treatment. I have a damp patch on my chimney breast just above the mantel piece thats getting bigger but in dry weather it seems to dry out but then come back when if it rains or is damp outside. The chimney is in the lounge and has a multifuel stove. We noticed a damp patch on the chimney breast and just assumed it was the plaster taking time to dry out. Hi all, noticed yesterday that a damp patch has formed in our main bedroom at the top of the chimney breast and im just wondering if anyone may be able to offer any adviceguidance on sussing out what has caused it and subsequently fixing it so it doesnt continue. Ensure the wall has been allowed to dry out fully before applying plaster. Once youve identified the probable cause of damp in your chimney, it can be repaired. I need to get the walls painted and can use damp seal to proceed but will this wet areas eventually dry. Inside the chimney breast is a flue which runs up the building and out through the chimney pot on the roof. Mortar if the mortar around your chimney stack is cracked or splitting, water can get inside the chimney breast. The issue with rising damp is that it often goes on inside the walls undetected for. Damp patch on chimney breast moneysavingexpert forum. On replacing old sofa for new discovered damp patches behind sofa on wall where old chimney place had been.
Rising damp is one of the many types of water ingress issues our clients are faced with. These old plastered walls bring so much character to a period home, but to keep them in good condition its essential to be on the look out for early signs of damage. Feb 18, 20 we bought our first house last year and after living in it for a few months since september i have noticed some strange damp spots on and around the chimney breast in the top bedroom. How to fix chimney breast plaster damp and salts problems.
Chimney applications chimney gable walls, chimney breasts and chimney alcove walls, internally and externally. Our builders briefs series explains building talk in laymans terms. Nov 06, 2005 the damp patch is just on the chimney breast, about half way up on the 1st floor. Damp patches and brown water stains on upstairs ceilings, chimney breasts and internal walls are commonly the result of leaks around the edges of chimney stacks where they meet the roof. Chimney breast damp what causes stains and damp patches. Your problem is probably a combination of issues, chimney breasts were usually constructed with no dpc, therefore when the roaring hot fire which used to pull. We had open chimney pots and could even hear the rain coming in so weve had cowls put on hoping this would remedy the problem. Damp stains and hygroscopic salts on the inside of the chimney wall. There may be damp patches on the chimney breast or the ceiling above it, or possibly the walls around it.
Always treat the cause of any damp problems, not the symptoms. The house is 1902 terrace and the bedroom with damp patched is on the top3rd floor. After the wind and heavy rain weve now got a new damp patch despite having the new chimney pots. Internal chimney breast damp patches help needed please. The most common causes of damp in your chimney breast are. These damp patches can often worsen when the weather does. Plaster repairs are an occasional requirement if you own an old home. They admit the dampness and agreed to replaster one of the chimney breast wall around the sealed fireplace, again, no dpc was injected. The wall that the damp patch is on is the adjoining wall between us and next door semidetached, and the patches are close to the ground, dont extend more. Hygroscopic damp caused by rain penetration through the chimney stack. Damp on chimney we recently purchased a house in february.
Perhaps you have already had roofing or chimney repair works undertaken. We regularly get questions here at permagard about whats causing damp patches around a. Additional damp patches and flaking paint might become more obvious during poor weather conditions such as rain. I have a patch of damp just above the mantle piece on one. Having just moved into a new house, we have stripped most of it back to basics, and under the wall paper on the lounge chimney breast discovered some damp patches. Causes and implications over time, persistent dampness can result in fungal decay developing in adjacent roof timbers, and can also cause ceilings to bow and eventually collapse. Damp patches, above skirting board in and around area of blocked up chimney breast. The chimney breast in the roof space being damp is not in itself damaging, and you say that space is now well ventilated. Damp patch on chimney breast in bedroom diynot forums. The damp is apparent across only the half of the chimney breast which corresponds to the flue serving the downstairs room below the beadroom. My property is a 1940s semi detached ex council house which i bought 3 years ago. Recently weve noted a damp patch appears on the chimney breast wall above the fireplace after heavy rain. Damp looking patches appeared on chimney breast wallss.