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Painting & Decorating

Bedroom brick wall wet from leak upstairs, how to get rid of dampness??

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.30 PM

We had a continuous leak from upstairs for couple of weeks. The leak has been fixed since almost a month ago but the wall (brick wall) remains damp to the touch. Some tiny cracks in the plaster were visible since the beginning. We have used a dehumidifier (not commercial) since day 1 in the room for 8 hrs a day. Lately we also found mold behind the casings and side jambs of the mdf doors that are part of this wall. We removed them since and cleaned/disinfected the whole area with mold remover. How to know whether the bricks inside the wall are drying out? is it recommended to drill some holes throughout the wall to let moisture out? Or maybe take the whole plaster off and bring the wall to brick level and keep drying? Id appreciate any help as this is a bedroom wall and my wife is allergic to humidity/mold

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3 Answers

ADR Property Maintenance

Rating: 5 out of 5
Boston
taking the plaster of will help as some water may be trapped behind the plaster dampness dissipates at the rate of 1inch per month providing it is not getting added to the fact it is a bedroom could mean there is condensation being created adding to an already wet surface stopping it drying, crack open a window to allow some air flow into the room, really without looking its impossible to say exactly what is happening are so many different scenarios does the wall have a cavity, is there wall insulation, is it a solid brick built house to name a few. You would need to view the issue to give you the correct solution. good luck Alex
Answered28 August 2022
17

Decorating Naturally

Rating: 5 out of 5
Bedford
I would aggree, taking the plaster off should help and if it's cracked with the damp it has already failed and needs to be replaced. With the plaster off and brick exposed you can borrow/buy/hire a moisture meter and test for the dampness yourself. Once the damp has reduced to an acceptable level (there will always be a certain moisture content but you can read the instructions or google and it will tell you what's acceptable) You can get the wall re-plastered.
Answered29 August 2022
0

Majid

Rating: 5 out of 5
Campden Hill, London
I would aggree, taking the plaster off should help and if it's cracked with the damp it has already failed and needs to be replaced. With the plaster off and brick exposed you can borrow/buy/hire a moisture meter and test for the dampness yourself. Once the damp has reduced to an acceptable level (there will always be a certain moisture content but you can read the instructions or google and it will tell you what's acceptable) You can get the wall re-plastered.
Answered20 November 2023
0