Spotted earlier that the carpet was wet. Long story short, I’ve lifted the carpet and the floorboards are wet through. Maybe an area two foot by three. I’ve pulled a board up and the joist underneath is also sodden, back as far as I can reach under the wall.

Only thing I can think which might be related, it’s right next to the corner of the chimney breast and I had a bloke fit a new TV aerial a few days back. Maybe he’s dislodged something and it’s raining in? The space under the boards seems to be perfectly dry.

1890s terraced house, the neighbours are out so I can’t ask if they’ve had any problems. It doesn’t appear to be getting worse so I don’t think it’s a burst pipe, though the back boiler is behind the fireplace so I can’t rule it out.

Anyone got any bright ideas as to what this can be? Also, who the hell do I ring to get it sorted? Plumber / builder / roofer / something else? Is the wood likely to survive, or has a big job just broke out?

Fantastic timing, coming up to Christmas and my OH is home after an operation. FML.

Few too many beers last night?

Wood will dry out, just leave the carpet up. Ideally you’d do some more digging and find the water source – it will something like leaking shower tray in neighbours house, leaking CH pipe, leaking water pipe. Keep an eye on it and correlate how wet it is with when it rains (or a few hours later) to figure out if it’s rain water getting in.

Takes a long while to rot through floor joists, so no immediate panic.

You could cut away all the plaster at the base of the wall & remove skirting board to try and see where it is coming from, esp if it’s running down between the wall and plaster (easy in an old house as the plaster often detaches from the bricks).

can you be sure its not condensation? we had similar a while ago, carpets were sodden, drawers under the bed going mouldy, we thought we had a big leak. turns out its condensation :-/ i was amazed it could be that bad!!
had airbricks put in, bought a dehumidifier, but still struggle with it.

Pretty sure it’s not condensation. Aside from the fact it’s been fine for the last 30 years, it’s too localised a patch and not where I’d expect to see it (it’s an adjoining wall, not an outside wall).

Hm.

Looks like the wall is, or has been damp too, just in a small patch though, a few inches from the skirting upwards. Rest of the wall seems fine and dry though.

is from rain? or wet when not raining?

Did tv man bore hole in roof tile/slate for cable? Yes I have seen that done 🙄

So the ground below the joist is not damp, but the joist is, so that means water is trcking in along the joist, get a mirror and tape to a piece of wood, and then by using a lamp or bright torch have a look down under the boards, it may well be comming in from next door.

try lifting a few more boards

Dunno about rain, I’ve only just noticed it. How long it’s been like that, I’ve no clue.

Yeah. I’ve got a little inspection mirror but couldn’t see much. I lifted partial boards, the bigger ones are going to take more tools than I have to hand. Might well have to go get a crowbar tomorrow.

have you had rain since the TV man was there?

Probably. I live in East Lancashire.

We were away for the weekend so I can’t be sure, but it was tipping it down when we drove home down the M62 so it’s likely.

3 choices.

1. Trace back the damp to find where it’s coming from. Seems odd it’s coming up through the floor board rather than dripping onto the ground. Would suggest a continuous dampness rather than a flash flooding when it rains.

2. Get a competent building surveyor it to inspect. Most are happy to do some minor opening up (I certainly would) so mention this if you speak to one.

3. Contact you insurance provider and get them to sort it.

It is fresh water or has it been leaking for a while, if its black and moldy its old.

if its freshish my money is on the tv mannie breaking a slate/tile or making a hole for the cable*
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* could be wrong tho

Could be coming in around a window, if the mortar weakens around the sill, you can get water coming into the wall via that?

Might well have to go get a crowbar tomorrow.

I’ve had a stubborn boards up with a broad-edge chisel and a claw-hammer, give that a go.

I always screw em back down too, easier to take up if needs be in the future.

PS – sorry i can’t offer any more than what’s already been suggested but good luck with it, that would do my swede right in til i’d got to the bottom of it.

For reference, here’s a pic. Please forgive the disaster area, the awful tiles are under the carpet normally.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wQ4PbCXzBBjaMhoGm1wgc-KcBg9h1i6PfQ72U4byS3I

… water is fresh, far as I can tell. Relatively clear, not drinking water clear but not stagnant.

Too far away from a window – that’s off to the right hand side, different wall.

Surveyer? That sounds cheap. 😯

Is this on the ground floor or the first floor, have you checked if there is a downpipe on the external wall? did the TV guy knock the gutter about with the ladders,could be a leaking joint.
It doesn’t take a lot of water hitting the brickwork outside (especially behind a pipe that hasn’t been pointed in a while) to bleed through to the inside, can trickle through where the joists are set into the inner brick skin and wallop big wet damp patch.

Turn off the feed to your header tank in the loft, small one. Put a Mark on the water level and check it in the morning. If it’s significantly lower, it’s likely your back boiler

Ground floor. There is a downpipe there which has been leaking, sort of – ballcock washer needed replacing so the overflow was overflowing. I fixed that a couple of weeks ago though. And again, it’s a different wall, and dry between the outside wall and the wet patch. The joists run the other way, parallel to the outside wall. It disappears under brickwork (remains of the old stone fireplace) and heads towards next door.

Water, I have a hot water cistern and a cold tank above it. That feeds other things though; not sure as it’s a reliable indicator. I could take the fire surround down though, that’ll get me access to the boiler. I don’t believe there’s anything in the loft.

too much water for leak off window/cable hole without showing elsewhere my money is on the back boiler

sorry double post

so whats above is it a straight pitched roof dormer window is that a chimney breast where the gas fire is?

are you top floor?

Directly above is the bathroom. It’s a regular terrace, pitched roof. Normal double-glazed window, not a bay. That’s the chimney breast, yes. Ground floor.

Do you have building insurance.
If so check to make sure that you are covered for “escape of water”
If you have & you have a leak then you maybe covered for damage caused by the escape of water.
Also, if you policy has “trace & access” then you may also be covered for locating & opening up for you to repair the leak & then full reinstatement.

If it is rain related then you will need to prove storm damage.

`hope this helps

More likely to be the bathroom IME. Them buggers are always leaking.

Maybe it’s your 1970’s fire surround weeping with the extent of its uncoolness.

Directly above is the bathroom

woop! woop! woop! alarm bells ringing

any leaking joints/pipe work, can you take bath panel off

Bathroom fittings don’t line up, far as I can work out.

I was avoiding insurance as I didn’t want to make a claim if it was something simple. The ‘trace…’ thing sounds like a plan though. Thanks.

The fire’s a hateful thing, but I can’t replace it without replacing the boiler, and once I start on that road it’s a slippery slope with a four figure bill.

with the insurance, it will only count on your premiums if the claim goes through.
soem insurance companies use surveyors to assess there claims. if your does then at least you can get a free survey which wont cost you anything unless you go ahead with the claim

Innnnteresting.

I’ve got the STW-approved M&S dealie, they seem pretty good. I’ll give them a bell in the morning, see what they have to say.

send ’em a picture of the fire. They’ll do it for free 😉

My cat hates you.

Update, and cheeky bump for the morning crowd.

Got up this morning and the floorboards are practically dry. So I’m leaning towards rain water.

Took a picture of the roof.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QIxGSmn5m2Tgts50a9kl7OKcBg9h1i6PfQ72U4byS3I?feat=directlink

Looks like he’s bent the lead flashing back to hold the cable. J’accuse?

Glitch bump.

Is it not too much of a coincidence that it is eminating from the Chimney/hearth – also the above link shoiwng the flashing been pulled, it’s prob tracking back down the chimney..???

Pretty much my thoughts, yes.

I’ve just rung them, they’re going to send the chap back out to check it. Might be monday now. Ho hum.

Water is running down the INSIDE of the co-axial cable. I’ve had this, it took a while to figure out.