New gravel surface - will it cause problems?

[ken300]

Hi,

We've started to have a little damp in the corner of the living room in our terraced house, we're currently investigating, trying to work out if it's rising damp or condensation (my gut feeling is rising damp).

On the outside of this damp wall is a yard made from engineering bricks laid straight onto the soil (no sub-base). They have become very uneven so I'm planning on replacing them with gravel held in hexagon stabiliser grids (Nidagravel 130 grids). They recommend a sub-base of 50mm compacted MOT Type 1, then 10mm sharp sand with 40mm of gravel in the stabiliser grids on top.

I would appreciate your advise on how this is likely to affect the moisture in the soil immediately next to our living room wall.

When it rains at the moment, a lot of the water seems to run off the bricks, form puddles in the low spots away from the house then soaks away into the soil below. Am i right in thinking that when it rains on the new 'MOT/sand/gravel' the water won't run off anywhere, instead it will soak straight down into the soil - if that's the case i assume it will end up making the soil next to the house wetter, not ideal if it's rising damp?

Am i also right in thinking that the water would drain straight down through the gravel and sand layers immediately but would take a little time to soak through the compacted MOT?

If that's right, would gently sloping the new 'MOT/sand/gravel' surface away from the house help make the water run away from the house a little before it soaks down through the MOT so the soil next to the house will be a bit drier?

[lutonlagerlout]

what is the finished floor level compared to the outside ground level?
also do you have timber floors?
cheers LLL

[seanandruby]

...Also some photo's :;):

[ken300]

The finished gravel level of the area outside will be 150mm below the existing damp proof course (the DPC is injected in the black painted bricks just below the white render in the photos - i think was done about 25-30 years ago) so unless the DPC has failed that should be OK.

I was just thinking though that if i can make the ground next to the house a bit drier by sloping the gravel a bit then that would give the DPC an easier time!

The floor in the house is solid concrete.

Here's a photo - the damp issue has appeared inside the house just at the bottom where the wooden gate meets the house (at the bottom of the 'wall plate' if that's what it's called - the bit of wood that's fixed to the side of the house that the gate is fixed to):

[emjay]

When was the exterior white paint applied and is it a waterproof type of stuff ?

[Tony McC]

They paving is etruria marl clay diamond pavers, very desirable and, if you went to buy them at a reclamation yard, you'd pay a couple of quid each. (If you sell them, you might get a tenth of that, so don't be thinking they'll pay for the new back yard!)

They've obviously been down for quite a while, so it's not immediately obvious why a damp problem should start just now. The level at that corner with the gate is a lttle high, but not worryingly so.

I'd be digging down in that corner to see if the ground is wet. If there's a drainage pipe going down that ginnel, leading from the IC in the yard, then it could well be that a crack or breakage has developed, which is allowing water/effluent to escape, which is then migrating into the brickwork of the house.

Whatever you do, try and develop a design to re-use those gorgeous diamond pavers. They are uniquely English, made more-or-less onloy in the West Midlands (and parts of N.Wales) and a part of our rapidly disappearing paving heritage. They would make a lovely edge course, if you are intent on using gravel.

[lemoncurd1702]

It could be condensation which is often mistaken for rising damp and has a habit of collecting in cold corners. Is there an item of furniture in the corner preventing air circulation. It may be a more simple solution than first thought.

Best get someone knowledgeable to check before you star ripping things apart.

An image of the inside corner may help us.

[seanandruby]

I woul hope after 8 months the guy has sorted the problem :;):

[lemoncurd1702]

Ha Ha, didn't see the topic date only the last post

[seanandruby]

We've all done it. I can understand it because the people who ask for help sometimes don't update us and leave us hanging. A big help if the people asking for help actually say the job is done and thank you so much for you help :;):

[Tony McC]

...and here's a purple 'un for you to get yourselves a few beers! :p