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Damp to a Chimney Breast and Leaking Window Frames in Oxford, OX2
A semi detached house in north Oxford had salt staining and damp on a ground floor chimney breast. The survey also found rain getting in around the top floor windows and at a gutter joint.
Project at a Glance
The Brief
The owner had noticed staining on the ground floor chimney breast and wanted a full inspection of the house to find out what was causing it and whether there were other problems.
The Survey
Our surveyor carried out a visual inspection inside and out, with moisture readings and thermal imaging. On the ground floor, the chimney breast showed salt staining and raised moisture readings up to about a metre high. No other ground floor walls were damp, but the kitchen had no extractor fan.
Outside, there was a small gap where the rear gutter joins the neighbouring gutter, which can let rainwater run down the wall, and noticeable gaps between the top floor bedroom window frames and the surrounding masonry.
The Solution
The specification treated the chimney breast and dealt with the other defects at the same time.
- Chimney breast: affected plaster removed, a damp proof course injected, the masonry treated with a salt inhibitor, then a waterproof render applied and finished with a skim coat.
- Kitchen: a suitably sized extractor fan to control moisture from cooking and reduce condensation.
- Outside: the gutter joint made watertight and the gaps around the top floor window frames sealed.
The Result
The chimney breast now has a salt resistant finish, and the outside repairs stop rain getting into the walls elsewhere. We cover Oxfordshire from our High Wycombe office, including damp proofing in Bicester.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do chimney breasts get damp?
Chimney breasts often hold salts from years of burning fuel. These salts draw moisture from the air, and a blocked or unventilated flue or damp from below can add to it, leaving stubborn stains.
Does salty plaster need to be removed?
Usually, yes. Salt contaminated plaster keeps pulling in moisture, so it is replaced with a salt inhibiting render and a new finish.
Can gaps around windows cause damp?
Yes. Gaps between frames and masonry let rain behind the frame and into the wall, which can damage plaster and finishes inside.
Damp in an older Oxfordshire home?
Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors find the real cause before recommending any work. Non-invasive survey with a clear written report. No obligation.
Survey and works carried out by Advanced Damp. Project completed in Oxford, OX2.
Sam Fitzgerald is the founder of Advanced Damp and a working damp and structural waterproofing surveyor diagnosing and treating moisture problems in residential and commercial properties across London and the South East. He is FODCS certified (a Federation of Damp Certified Surveyor) and a member of the Federation of Damp. His hands-on work covers rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, basement waterproofing to BS 8102, and thermal imaging surveys, and he has personally completed over 400 damp surveys across properties of every type and age. Everything he writes draws directly from jobs he has carried out. He does not write about treatments, products or causes he has not dealt with first-hand in the field.
