Which tradesman for possible penetrating damp?

annoyedgal

20250124_121543.jpg

Last year we had a problem with damp and damage around the left of our window. This spread down below the window sill. We got a handyman to strip off the wet plaster and dry the brick. He found a hole in the wall to the exterior which he filled. He also seemed inside and outside the window with silicone.

All seemed fine but recently when there is driving rain, water is coming in the corner of the window sill again. This spread to the left of the window and the plaster bubbled again.

I'm at a loss now as to all a window person, damp specialist or builder to take a look. I'm also unsure if a builder would even look at a small job like this? Any advice on who to ask to get this fixed would be helpful.

Attached is a pic of the inside and exterior which has external insulation.

10-10-20

Hi ya, effectively there isn't a specialist for this, keep your handyman on-side and work through it. That photo was taken in the Summer, has the problem

Tell us, what is the aspect of the window, what's above it (gutters, etc) and what's behind it (kitchen/living room). Photos help.

annoyedgal

Hi, thanks for the reply. I took that photo today! The window is south facing and it's out sitting room. It's on the bottom floor of a three bed semi. Bedroom above it. There is a gutter above it to the left of the window facing in.

We have been here six years but I would say the windows are 20 plus years old. Double glazing.

m

annoyedgal

This is the outside

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123096915#Comment_123096915

Well it looked like a Summer shot with nice warm sunlight and greenery! 😂

Anyway, the issue isn't at the cill, it might be at the external lintel (top of the window), so grab a few more of those photos tomorrow showing the wall and overhang (fascia and soffit) and more showing the external cladding (brick slips). Roughly what age is the house?

annoyedgal

House was build in 1973, I'll add more pics tom, thank you!

annoyedgal

Corresponding spot of damp from exterior

annoyedgal

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View of above window

annoyedgal

Window and gutter above

annoyedgal

Top of window

10-10-20

Do you know if the house is cavity block or cavity wall?

That cladding/tiles is the primary suspect. What I'd guess is happening is that the wall is being saturated during rain with some of it running in behind the cladding and then soaking the render and blocks behind. That's then transferring through the wall at the window junction - either through the bridges within the cavity blocks or via the return block at the reveal if it's a cavity wall. The cladding is also stopping the wall from drying out, so it's staying damp for longer.

Remediation might be to remove the tiles and render or repair the surface behind, then reapply the tiles using suitable adhesive and then grout.

I'd like to hear other opinions on this too.

annoyedgal

Thanks for that, it's cavity block construction. Cladding is about 10 year old I think. And was done by a bit of a cowboy apparently!

baxterooneydoody

I do a lot of this type of work, and tbh it could be a number of things. Usually, I just take the window out and make sure everything is OK re. Dpc, no mortor bridging the cavity, etc. The quickest way to find the problem is the window out and back in the same day and render the day after.

10-10-20

Regrouting the cladding might bring some reprieve for a time, but you should also look at the window cill of the upper window, just in case the water is tracking from there downwards. But this is all opinion based and as I said others may have more educated opinions or practical experience. I hope this helps.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123096918#Comment_123096918

Can we pull this back a small bit to the basics first.

Your weep vent at the bottom of the window is meant to have an insert in it to cap it off. Its fallen out meaning any form of rain can get in there and fill up your window frame. Depending on its construction it could easily just piss water into the cavity behind and soak upwards.

Is the water from top down internally or bottom up ?

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123099443#Comment_123099443

Second eyes on these are always good to have.

annoyedgal

I would say the water tracks upwards. The last time this happened it went upwards but spread down too and eventually down to the left and right under the window sill and to the right of the wall under the window.

There is a few options to check based on the replies, big thanks to everyone. Have checked the other windows for weep hole covers and none seem to have them! Can I ask if they should all be covered in general or is it problematic to do so?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123101023#Comment_123101023

All weep holes should have a click in gap. The gaps can be crap and tend to go missing. Ideally glue them on leaving access for water to run out the bottom.

I'd also pull up the internal window sill , if the tradesman didn't do that ? It's the first place to trace water ingress.

annoyedgal

Thanks, I'll have a look for clock in gaps. He didn't take up the sill no. I think he and we assumed it was a problem with the silicone seal on the exterior of the window.