Ground level & damp question

[Tim+]

My daughter's flat has a damp problem at the back in one bedroom.

I'm sure that the problem stems from the ground level being higher than the floor level at the back of the house. Here is the area outside the bedroom window.

The "ground" is about 5" higher than the floor and the area in the photo is concreted and haunched (right word?) up the wall slightly to stop water collecting next to the wall.

Immediately below the window though is an air vent through the wall and this is level with the ground and has no raised lip.

What would be the best methods of reducing damp ingress? I did wonder about digging it all out to lower the ground level but the drains are the back of the house seem quite near the surface and without re-doing all the drainage system, I'm not sure that's a starter.

I guess ground level higher than floor level can't be that unusual so there must be other options. I imagine building a small raised lip along the lower edge of the air vent would be a good idea.

Any other suggestions?

Tim

[Jonno]

Tim+ scribbled

Cut a couple of channels on each side of the path. Get rid of the soil and moss which are retaining moisture in the concrete. Raise the bottom of the airvent by a couple of inches or block it up and make a new one higher up the wall, if it's necessary.

[Tim+]

It's less of a path, more of a "sump". It's bounded by walls at both ends. On one side is the house, on the other a garden retaining wall. At present there is a drain on the concrete surface that can drain surface water. I would worry that digging trenches beneath the surface would just create a non-draining "reservoir" right next to the house walls.

Raise the bottom

I think that's got to be my main priority. I've lifted some floorboards and the solum feels dry apart from beneath the air vent.

Tim

[stuart noble]

I'd put a skirt along the base of the building up to about 9". It stops rain bouncing up off the ground and soaking into the wall. Very common round here, especially on S/SW facing buildings.

[Chris Hogg]

Is there a damp course? If there is it's not obvious. The efflorescence all along the base of that wall suggests it's damp all along and been like that for a long time.

There are three down-pipes in the picture, all disappearing into the ground. What are they? Do they all connect to the same drainage system? Are those drains sound, or cracked and leaking into the surrounding soil?

There's a lot of moss, suggesting it's a very damp area. Does the grating below the nearest down-pipe actually drain water away, or is the trap blocked, preventing surface water from draining.

Why does the render on the far wall above the inspection cover project forward at the bottom? Is it to deflect water away from the base of the wall? Is the gap below it choked up with moss and grot?

My immediate thought was to dig a trench all along the house wall and put some heavy-duty polythene along against the wall, projecting up above the level of the adjacent concrete, and then re-fill and make good.

[Tim Lamb]

I think shallow drain pipes have to be protected by a layer of concrete.

Is the soil free draining? If so I would create a gap between the concrete and the flat wall and fill with pea gravel. This will reduce rain splash onto the wall and allow air movement to reduce moisture penetration.

Internal condensation on a cold wall can be a problem but not normally near the floor.

[Jonno]

Tim+ scribbled

Where does the water on the window sill come from and where does it go. I've seen sill ends that allow water into the brickwork and don't run off the front edge very well.

[Tricky Dicky]

I have a similar problem with a drive level with the DPC level. The wall ha s a vertical DPC and the gap between the drive and wall filled with gravel, this arrangement has coped with everything the weather has thrown at it, t he only problem has been around the air bricks but using some flue starters to leave the air bricks open. No damp problems either in the wall or under the

Richard

[Tim+]

Tutu? Mini? Maxi? ;-)

Okay, I'm being silly. What kind of skirt do you mean?

Tim

[Tim+]

Thanks. Useful info.

Dunno about the state of them but they all do drain away. None are blocked.

It works.

It's part of a new(ish) staircase built up to an upstairs flat. Dunno about the projection.

Tim

[Bill Wright]

looks like a right shit tip. Can't you buy her a nicer flat? Don't you love her? What a bad father you are.

Bill

[Tim+]

I don't suppose your arse is any prettier. ;-) This is the "arse side" of the flat. The rest of it is really nice.

I love her so much I wouldn't teach her to be dependant on others, she bought it herself (without a mortgage). Drug dealing is clearly very profitable. ;-)

Tim

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

In the south perhaps? All of the south is a shit tip / shithole. Such lucky people they think they are.

[Fredxxx]

Does living up North cause big chips on t'shoulders?

[Bill Wright]

I'll have you know that my arse has been pictured in medical textbooks. Pretty young things have pored over my arse.

This is the "arse side" of

I bet it isn't. I bet the front door opens onto a street of mayhem.

So she's qualified as a retail chemist? That's impressive.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Big chips are nice. Maris Pipers, 105C until soft, take 'em out, wait til the fat's at 190C, dunk 'em in for about a minute. Gorgeous!

It's the only way I can get a shag these days.

Bill

[Bod]

They probably got bored with throwing bricks at Firemen.

Firefighters attacked with bricks and fireworks aimed at ...

? ... ? Bonfire Night

6 Nov 2015 - Fire chiefs say a 'worrying number' of children's play areas were torched as the service received 300 calls between 4.30pm and midnight.

[stuart noble]

Not sure of the technical term for render that goes from the ground up to a foot or so, but you must have seen examples. Usually painted white

[harry]

So you have a sump served by a drain? It would be interesting to know where this drain goes to, it might only be connected to a soakaway. This could be silted up & the cause of the problem. So first is to check it's functioning correctly & where it goes to. Chemical injection might cure the damp problem. Or coating the haunching with bitumous paint and sealing any cracks between the haunching and the wall with some sort of gunk. It might be condensation, is there ventilation hood in kitchen? Are there similar problems elsewhere in the house?

[Huge]

Today's new word. Thank you.