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[beeboybee]

Renovating our spare room, upstairs bay window has got really damp walls, its a 1900's terrace with double brick thick walls,
the Two RED arrows point to the sandstone pillars, when i removed the wood panelling they where both dry according to the damp meter, now after 24hrs there are water droplets on the inside!!!!!!!!!
The BLUE area is really damp and the plaster/paint is bubbling it is very damp according to the damp meter,


i can not see any issues outside as to how the damp/water would be getting in.

what should be my next step?

previously it has been filled under the window with sand cement render inside do i need to chip all this off...... then treat the whole area


any thoughts really appreciated as this is a real halloween horror and i need the room back ASAP

 

[WelshPaul]

Water droplets? Condensation or a water build up, the wall will seat as well in the cold temp outside if its really warm inside, I recommens knocking th walls back to the brick or stone then covering with a paint on damp proofer then get it all rendered and plastered back up.

My opinion, may not be the same as others, but its soley what I would do.

 

[VEG]

Water droplets on the sandstone will be condensation as it is probably the coldest thing in the room. Have you checked all around the windows on the outside to see if they are sealed to the surrounding stone. It only takes a small hole outside to let in water, the plaster inside will suck up moisture. You will need to find the source of that water or you will have the same problem a few weeks down the line.

 

[For want of a better word]

Hack of the wet plaster / render back to the brickwork
Is there a leaking gutter or roof above ( looks like a bay window) or is water coming in through a leaking sill? at base of window...
get it fixed before the hectic days of next spring when we can all get beekeepering again !!!
Good Luck

 

[Tom Bick]

I agree with Craig double check around the window frames on the outside especially the cills.

 

[Storm™]

Water droplets? Condensation or a water build up, the wall will seat as well in the cold temp outside if its really warm inside, I recommens knocking th walls back to the brick or stone then covering with a paint on damp proofer then get it all rendered and plastered back up.

My opinion, may not be the same as others, but its soley what I would do.

I agree with Welshpaul here.Used to own a 400 year old house and had a running water feature down one wall whenever there was a downpoor.

Anyhow if its droplets and it looks like you have been decorating in that area, that could all be your exhaled moisture. Leave to dry with heating on for a couple of days and see whats what. If no moisture then continue with what you were doing. If sodden, follow Welshpauls advice but first .... it looks like its upstairs. If so (even if its not actually) check the guttering above along the whole front of the house. If its curled over - full of plants - leaking when its raining etc then thats the cause of your water and will need to be sorted before anything goes ahead. Should not cost more than £400.00 if you get striped up double so....You would be shocked how quickly leaky guttering can shag your house inside. If thats all fine strip back to brick, secure with plenty of sealer, many layers. Plaster over the top. Paint.

 

[Russel]

Looks like single glazed windows?
Is the foam to hold the windows in or draft/water excluder. Drafts it will stop, water it will suck in.
Before you go hacking about check:

Blocked or no ventilation causing condensation.

Guttering and lead flashings.
All mastic/putty seals.
Mortar joints in brick/stone work.
External render/paint for cracks.

 

[victor meldrew]

You appear to be describing a property without cavity, and with no mechanical damp proof course ?
1 Has it been given a chemical barrier?(the cement rendering points to it having been) .This could have failed ! Most of the damp appears to be in an area commonly effected by rising damp .
2 The patch of penetrating damp could be the requirement for re-pointing , and as it seems to be localised , it maybe due to failures as mentioned above .
I hope you get it sorted before the onset of Winter proper.
VM

 

[beeboybee]

few things.... the expanding foam appears to be all thats holding the windows in place? i can not see any fixings through to the brick work.
This is the upstairs bay window so i presume rising damp is not an issue.

pretty confident DIYer but this has fazed me it its the only wall left to finish before we get our room back.


thanks for all the posts so far...

 

[VEG]

you may not see the fixings as they may well be plugged/filled over.

 

[Russel]

you may not see the fixings as they may well be plugged/filled over.

You'll be surprised at the number of "builders" that "foam and wedge" windows doors etc relying on mastic and plaster to do the job of proper fixings.

 

[hughjamton]

Definitly condensation on the sandstone pillars, I imagine that before you foamed down the edge of the windows there was enough draft between the pillar and the wooden trim to stop condensation forming, is the room occupied?, if so I'll bet that you used to get lots of condensation forming on the glass, but that has decreased now that there is a colder area for it to form on.
If you've got a leak making the walls below wet then the increase in moisture will encourage condensation.
Was it damp below the window before you did the work? If not then it's something you've changed, have you done any external work? if not then it's probably not a leak but just the condensation.
Did you notice if it started directly below the pillars and spread sideways or was it all damp at the same time.
The more you draftproof a property the more condensation you will get, it will always form on the coldest spot.
In a newly double glazed house I have seen water drip off of a brass nut holding a door knocker in place, I'm talking a constant drip of 2/3 drips a second.
Did it rain in the 24hrs between you stripping off the trims and the damp appearing? If not then it's not a leak.
The foam looks wet at the very bottom, is it?
The bare patch of plaster on the left hand side, is that damp?
If the foam is not broken with the cells exposed, i.e. you haven't trimmed it back, it will initialy be fairly waterproof for a short time, but it will act as a sponge eventually.
If you've been painting in the room that will put more moisture in the air, more moisture means more condensation.
The only answer to condensation is insulation combined with ventilation.
Anyone who tells you that double glazing will stop condensation is a liar, you can quote me on that.
Chances are you if you re-trim the bay the problem will stop, but you need to make sure there are no other problems first.
Monitor the situation, does it get worse when it rains, think leak, does it get worse when it's cold, think condensation.
You could always try a hosepipe with someone inside monitoring for you, but if you do, start at the bottom and work up or you'll never know where the problem is.
Sorry if the above rambles a bit but that's how my thought process was working as I was typing.