Possible problem with a soakaway?

[MichaelFinnigan]

A damp patch has developed on the inside of one of our external walls.

It's where, on the outside the drainpipe from the roof goes into the ground.

there is nothing around it, it just disappears underground.

Am i correct in assuming this drainpipe goes into a soakaway?

and if so, it it just the sheer amount of rain we've had that is causing the problem or does the soakway need something doing to it so the water, well, soaks away?

[lljkk]

could be anything... sorry! I know DH would just start digging down to see what's going on.

[MichaelFinnigan]

that's what i'm planning on doing, regrettably my DH is more suited to poncing about in the kitchen but i'm quite handy with a spade, but i've no idea what it should look like, so i'm not sure if it'll be obvious if there is a problem.

interestingly there is a website called soakaway.org i bet they're a fun bunch

[MichaelFinnigan]

Gawd, i've googled and terrified myself with stories of digginig up whole gardens
someone say it ain't so?

[mistlethrush]

Even if there is a problem with the soakaway draining the water away, the damp proof course should be protecting the house from that damp - make sure that the ground is not above your damp proof course - the damp proof course should ideally be at least a brick if not 2 above the external ground level.

[MichaelFinnigan]

hmmm good point. the ground level is fine, that's what i initially went out to check and then saw that the drainpipe corresponded with the damp bit. I didn't look for a DPC but i think they were used in the 20s? The house is 1925 ex LA

ok so if it's not rising up, perhaps it's coming through

the render (pebbledash) isn't in the best nick around the bottom and corner, so that could possibly be a problem, but then it's not in lots of places but we've only got damp penetrating in this one place