Damp meter reading 30% on 2 problem internal walls

by **ejj123** » Thu May 21, 2020 3:41 pm

Hi,

My 1920s has 2 problem internal walls which have caused the skirting to rot and the paint on the adjoining wall to bubble. I’ve removed the skirting and the bubbling paint, and the damp meter readings are around 30%.

I can see through the air brick to the decking outside so it’s not that it’s blocked which was my initial thought. The exposed bricks are bone dry but the old plaster on top of them is where the damp is.

Any ideas on how to remedy this please?

Thank you

by **stoneyboy** » Fri May 22, 2020 10:21 pm

Hi ejj123,
Looks like you have solid 9" walls and there's not much you can do to solve the issue of damp ingress through the wall. Cheap solution is to use a breathable paint and ventilate the room. Ultimate solution is to dry line the wall and incorporate a breathable membrane.
Regards S

by **ejj123** » Sat May 23, 2020 7:45 pm

Thanks for your reply. So if I was to do the breathable paint option I.e. not back the damp plaster off, I’m still left with a large gap at the bottom of the wall which is just above the air brick. What should I use to fix the replacement skirting board to?

by **stoneyboy** » Sat May 23, 2020 9:24 pm

Hi ejj123,
It will be difficult to fill that gap without partly blocking the bait brick. It looks like you have a deep torus skirting so get some new, paint the back - probably two coats to hold back damp, then stick the skirting to the wall using solvent based grab adhesive. You may need to pin the skirting back and you can seal gaps once the adhesive has set.
Regards S