Penetrating Damp.

[lobsterkiller]

I live in a 1930s solid brick house (bought in 2020.) The airbricks as expected are at the bottom, a previous owner has laid pavers over the path and drive raising the outside meaning the airbricks are part covered. There is also an old TV ariel running the width of the gable end where water is drawing in around it. Due to this I have penetrating damp where the ariel runs.

I know the pavers need to come up and will do next year. My concern is how do we sort the brickwork out internal and external?

I've read enough to avoid injections, I also get that as a solid building it needs to breath. However, the gable end, I'm wanting to internally insulate, it's going to need replastering anyway due to the penetrating damp.

Any ideas please how to sort and insulate. Also, hope this makes sense.

A picture or two paint a thousand words.

So you have a bedroom with a gable wall? And the gable wall is damp?
What’s the pointing like?

Thqnks for replying, I'll get some pictures. The pointing isn't great where the ariel runs. Outside you can see white stuff on the bricks that runs about 2 metres or so along the wall. The upstairs isn't affected at all. There's no leaking gutters or pipes.

Please see attached pictures.

Well lower level looks obvious. As you said you’d do, lower the ground level and/or add drainage against the brickwork.
Pointing is shot. It’s 100 years old so to be expected.
When you said gable, you were, or were not, talking about roof/upstairs?

Again thanks for replying, gable end as in the side of the property that isn't attached (sorry for the confusion.) The paving will be addressed early in the spring.

Have you identified where the dpc is now? How many courses above the airbrick?

Does the Ariel cable have a drip loop?

I've checked on both, can't see where the Dpc is and not sure about the ariel being a drop loop?

I do know a trademan who does renovation. He couldn't see the DPC either, he also says the pavers need sorting and thank god doesn't believe in injections.

Basically the cable should have a loop in it (exactly as it sounds!) rather than a straight run down towards the house. If there’s a loop, rain runs to the bottom of the loop and drips off. If it’s straight, rain runs into your wall!

Thanks Cimena, again this was pointed our yesterday by my chap as drawing the water in. The flipping things not even in use as I've had one installed at the front of the property.

Get a screwdriver and scrape out a about 10mm from the cement course above the airbrick, if the is no dpc, do the next course above, then the next.
Or easier walk round the house, and look at the neighbors, to see where it is.
In 1930, installing a DPC was standard so you should have one.

Can you remove the slabs from the air brick & dig down so theyre free now? Dunno if that will make for constant trips etc, or if feasible.
If you dont need the cable, get rid.
Your wall also needs to be repointed, sadly!

Im contemplating internal wall insulation too - how did you find a company to do it?

Might need some repointing too. Make sure whoever does it uses the right mortar, it may need to be lime. Take advice from someone who understands old buildings, not just any old bricklayer.

So you need to sort the outside first.
There are lots of insulation options internally.
You can hack off the old plaster, batten the wall, and fix insulated plasterboard. Or use a steel frame.
You’d need to research the pros and cons.
It could be external insulation is the best solution.
These are the perils of buying a solid wall house, damp and insulation.