Stronghold Preservation were requested to carry out a survey on this house in Belfast, to identify the cause of damp, and to assess the condition of the existing cavity wall ties.
Further Information
Wall ties
A visual inspection of the wall ties was carried out by our
surveyors in this house in Belfast. The wall ties were
visibly discoloured with signs of rust, and covered with mortar
droppings. Mortar on the wall ties can contribute to damp
bridging the cavity wall, with damp appearing internally; indeed,
damp patches at high level were found internally at high level,
which could be attributed to damp penetrating via the wall
ties.
The rusting and corrosion of the wall ties will
cause expansion of the steel, which if left, will force the brick
bed joints to lift. Severe cases can cause cracks in the
walls, and the outer leaf to lift at roof level.
Therefore, new stainless steel wall
ties were inserted and the existing corroded and rusting wall
ties removed by Stronghold Preservation.
Damp
In addition to the penetrating damp caused by the rusting wall
ties, high levels of moisture was found at low level on the ground
floor, indicating rising damp. A chemical injection
damp proof course (DPC), was installed to eradicate the rising damp
problem.
Damp was also found on the chimney breasts. It was found
that the flues had been closed up. Stronghold Preservation
recommended that the chimneys be opened up, cleaned of all soot and
debris, and ventilated, to prevent condensation forming in the flue.
