Damp bricks at front of house

[dementedpixie]

Just wondered if anyone has experience of a single line of bricks that look damp at the front of the house. Is it related to the air bricks in that line and who could I contact if it is a problem that I can't fix myself?

I will attach a picture of the brickwork

Could it be that they are a different type of brick that absorbs / retains water for longer than the rest? If it were a general damp problem I would expect it to spread more randomly. What are the joins to the left of the first and last bricks? They look different to the mortar elsewhere.

It's a garage conversion which was done at least 17 years ago so there used to be a garage door there. Never had the wet bricks before though.

I think there are small air spacer things that in that line too

It may be that the spacers or the air brick have become blocked. What's on the other side of the wall? Can you see the air brick / and damp inside the house, or is it below floor level?

Bear in mind that it has been exceptionally wet over the past 12 months. Many people are discovering damp problems that have not been noticeable previously, because the brickwork has not had time to dry out properly. Once you've checked the air brick / spacers, then if there is no damage inside and no sign of it spreading, I'd be tempted to watch and wait.

...also just thinking that the line of bricks affected may be where the doorstep was, which may have something to do with it in terms of the construction of the wall.

It is weird how it is only on the air brick level, and ends were your window ends. I would guess you have gap somewhere around your window that is allowing water ingress into the cavity. It would then naturally pool at the bottom.

Difficult to tell from photos but they look like engineering bricks to me. Much denser for water repulsion and a difervent colour to house bricks.

Could be wrong though.

I have checked the room that is behind the wall but don't see anything untoward on the other side. I'm guessing the air bricks might be under floor level maybe.

Do you think I should I should just wait and see if they dry out? Although given the rain we've had this evening I might be waiting a while!

Water sat on your DPC membrane. Paint bricks with water repellant.

you might be able to get a small endoscope in through the air brick holes to have a nose around. I have the below which isn’t amazing in terms of picture quality, but can give you a decent ish picture of what is behind.

https://www.drapertools.com/product/91648/wi-fi-endoscope-inspection-camera/

Can be found for about 18 quid on Amazon and easy to connect to your smart phone assuming you have one.

As for cause, if that is a new development then water is clearly ingressing somewhere. Possibilities are no damp proof membrane installed when they did the conversion or it’s failed and water tracking up. Or, window letting water in and tricking down the cavity. I’d go for the camera as above to try and get some pictures. If it won’t fit you won’t harm anything chipping out a bigger hole in the air brick, though make sure to seal it up again so as not to get mice etc under there.