| Author | Message | ||
| Capulet New Member Username: Capulet Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2006 |
Hi I am buying a house which is brick built c1938. It has cavity walls and I can see the dpc. On top of the dpc are a total of 8 airbricks. So far - so good. The internal floor is solid and the owner says as far as he's aware it always has been. Some of the internal walls are showing signs of rising dampness (tide marks creeping up the walls) and the surveyor also thinks it has RD. I'm trying to figure out if there would have been an original suspended timber floor and, if so, why would anyone want to remove it and replace it with a solid one. Anyone come across houses with airbricks and solid floors before? Marc | ||
| Cwatters Gold Level Contributor Username: Cwatters Post Number: 511 Registered: 12-2004 |
I'm building one but I'm using a beam and block floor so there is a cavity underneath. I don't think this type of construction was around in 1938! Sounds like they bridged the dpc on the inside when they laid the concrete floor. These days they would excavate to below PDC and put down a damp proof membrane over the whole floor. I guess if you removed some skirting board you might see it where it goes up the wall a bit. | ||
| Capulet New Member Username: Capulet Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2006 |
Hi CW Do you think I'm right in assuming that there was once a timber floor and, for whatever reason, this was removed and replaced with concrete? Do you know of any other reason why there should be airbricks in the wall? Cavity ventilation perhaps? Marc | ||
| Cwatters Gold Level Contributor Username: Cwatters Post Number: 512 Registered: 12-2004 |
Yes sounds like it. The air bricks are normally to ventilate the cavity under the floor. The other reason is to provide ventillation for solid fuel fires. I lived in a bungalow once that had air bricks in the kitchen wall well above the floor level to provide air for the coal fired boiler. There was also an air brick below the dpc in the living room, That was connected to some kind of duct that came under the fire place. One possibility is that someone has put a concrete screed on top of a timber floor. You might be able to check this by pushing a coat hanger through the air brick to detect the cavity. | ||
| Caliwag Bronze Level Contributor Username: Caliwag Post Number: 127 Registered: 12-2005 |
Yes I think CW is right. It sounds as though it was originally built with a timber floor which failed and was replaced with concrete, perhaps because constant damp underfloor (see other threads). Depending when it was carried out, there is unlikely to be any insulation and it sounds as though the "new" floor has breached the inner leaf DPC. All very difficult to remedy without some delving around the edges! Before you consider anything like wood floors on compressed insulation ie raising floor level, the DPC integrity needs to be restored. All fairly dramatic in terms of disruption though. What are local soil and water table conditions? Wag | ||
| Cwatters Gold Level Contributor Username: Cwatters Post Number: 513 Registered: 12-2004 |
I think if you are buying this property you should ensure the price reflects the cost of putting this right. Perhaps get a quote and see if the owner will reduce. | ||
| Capulet New Member Username: Capulet Post Number: 3 Registered: 04-2006 |
Ok Chaps, thanks for the input. I'm beginning to suspect a high water table in the area. Will check it out and see what's what. Many thanks for your help Marc |
