Hell & damnation - damp on chimneybreasts (no sniggering at the back!)

[TheElementsSong]

When we bought our house (about 2 years ago), one of the things that came up in the survey was that the chimneys were not in a great state - not awful but weathered pointing and bricks which would benefit from some maintenance. Indeed, during our first winter here, we noticed slight signs of damp coming into the chimneybreasts in the top floor bedrooms, original attic rooms (not a loft conversion) with sloping ceilings on the wall with the chimneybreasts.

So in the spring we had the chimneys repointed, flaunchings (sp?) redone etc etc at vast expense. All seemed well and the damp didn't progress any further despite the very wet summer and autumn.

Then last week I noticed HUGE damp patches where there were only the small ones before, and I swear they are growing before my eyes! Their appearance predated the latest cold snap (and snow).

Did the repointing cause this??? What do we do now?

disused chimneys need to be ventilated top and bottom, or they will get internal condensation which can cause tarry stains when it soaks through to the rooms.

have you got airbricks or something in any closed-off fireplaces?

yup - that's what we had to do. IF the chimney is closed off, it needs to have ventilation. Our issue was an old chimney flu above the kitchen. When I dried clothes over-night in there, we grew a huge damp patch on the bedroom wall in the room above where it all condensed in the old flu.

New ventilation grills in the chimney breast and running a dehumidifier in the kitchen when I hang up clothes seems to have sorted it out.

Ah, that could be the problem. Whoever removed the fireplaces (bloody vandals) didn't put ventilation grilles in. Is there a reason why it would get worse after we had the chimneys fixed? And I guess I'll have to fork out yet more £££ to get grilles put in - horrible ugly things

no

it will be dusty but no big deal. It is possible to get a Core Drill from a tool hire shop (mostly used for making a round hole in a wall for an extractor). You can put a brass or plastic grill over the hole. It will be about the size of a brick and not at all ugly.

Sometimes, you can let the chimney draw air from under the floor, which will also help ventilate the cellar and keep it dry, and avoid draughts in the room, but this is much more work after the fireplace has been bricked up and plastered.

You can put a safe in the old chimneybreast if you want, or an ornamental cavity.

Thanks PigletJohn, we are both DIY disasters here but glad to hear its not too big a job - something we can get a handyman to sort out fairly cheaply, I hope!