I have recently moved into a house that has been doubled in size in the last couple of years by the previous owners. I have noticed that above the new oak windows (on the outside) there are what look like slots instead of a rendered reveal. I can see metal so I assume its something to do with the lintel. However, I have just had a conservatory fitted & there is water dripping down from this slot, now on the inside of my conservatory. Any suggestions as to what this is & how to solve the problem? I don't see any weep vents on the outside of the new part, could this be a reason? Any help would be gratefully received. Many thanks
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
It's difficult to say without seeing it or at least pictures.
It sounds like a catnic lentil missing render, but the leak may have to do with the flashing on the conservatory or if plastered above could be water ingress through that.
They are weep holes they let the water out of your cavity that builds up the conservatory builder should if known what they are. The water has always come out of them which means they are doing what they are meant to. They can be blocked up but then the water needs to go somewhere and I can't really help with that one
Hi. It sounds like the weep holes that are placed above the lintel to let out any moisture that has found its way into the cavity above. This is usually when a porous brick has been used in the construction process and during a heavy rain storm the brick reaches saturation point and starts to allow the water to enter the cavity from the back of the brick. This is the purpose of the weep holes to let that water out. That's why you have water coming into your conservatory. To cure it you will probable need to have a stepped cavity tray paced at the stepped flashing point within the brickwork and weep holes placed at the bottom of the flashing on both sides to let the water out. Which is what we would have done, if we had been adding the addition to the building from new. The only other thing that you could try, if your looking for a cheaper alternative. Is to try a water repellant on the render above and try to prevent the brickwork reaching saturation point. Hope this has helped.
Steve. West Mid SPD Construction
Bricks are porous so what’s happening is quite normal without a conservatory there. Water is absorbed through the brickwork into the cavity after heavy rain and then runs down the cavity and exits through the weep vents.
With the addition of the new conservatory roof, the water is coming out of the weep vents that are now inside the new conservatory.
Stopping this could be expensive having to install cavity trays now , so I would just fill these weep holes with mastic and that will stop the water dripping. The excess water inside should be absorbed into the surrounding bricks and dry off over time when the rain subsides.
