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Damp Damp and More Damp - advice welcome

3 replies

IfThingsComeInThreesWhyThisNow · 28/12/2019 13:17

Good Afternoon Brew Cake

So part of my guttering fell down finally on Xmas Day and I think has given up the ghost. It is currently being propped up in a half arsed way but clearly needs replacing.
Added to that I have at least three areas of damp on internal walls which are due to poor guttering and I think areas of outside wall that badly need repointing.
I have read online that repointing in the Winter is not the wisest because of wind and rain. The walls need drying out but any drying will be temporary as soon as we have heavy rainfall. Walls are sodden/recently painted wallpaper (August) water marked/damaged.

Priority is the guttering asap
Then repointing in the Spring?
Will house need an industrial dehumidifier before mortar work can be done?
Will buying a 100-200 pound dehumidifier help in the interim?
Would I be better off removing wallpaper now?
How long can I live/survive like this without health (lung) problems?
Will heating the house to 22 degrees much of the time help or hinder?
How often should I be having windows open for to alleviate?

There are also two patches of damp that are near to sockets - how worried should I be?

Thanks for any advice, virtual hugs, sympathy or empathy. Experience and anecdotes welcome Xx

OP posts:
Purplewithred · 28/12/2019 13:21

Get the guttering done immediately. Are you sure the guttering is the only problem? Take a builder’s advice on the other stuff, it depends on how bad it really is. You may need replastering as well as new wallpaper.

IfThingsComeInThreesWhyThisNow · 28/12/2019 13:35

Thank you for replying. The guttering is old and knackered. I have only just come back to the house after 12 years away from it. Letting agent has billed me for maintenance issues over the last decade but I had no idea the guttering was as poor as it is until my return.
A tradesman cleared and 'fixed' a section in October but it hasn't held and I should have just replaced it then. The pointing is needed looking from photographs taken externally, you can see some cracking.
Guttering then pointing need to be done first before taking the wall back and seeing what I'm left with presumably.
With these being maintenance issues my home insurance won't cover either. Letting agent no longer used as I am now back in the house but several issues they have walked away from/claim knew nothing about from tenant, so no comeback there. Am just depressed about it all to be honest.

OP posts:
scaryteacher · 28/12/2019 16:20

Get the guttering done. Whack the heat on and keep it on for at least six months..it will take time (depending on the age of the house and the thickness of the walls) for the walls to take on the heat and to start drying out. A dehumdifier will help.

Windows open for a while each day just to change the air.

We have just moved back to our house after 13 years away, and with tenants who didn't heat/air it properly. The above is what we are doing, and then we'll take a long hard look at what the problems are, or if heating and living in the house has solved most of them.

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