Possible water penetration in external wall

henry

Registered User
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Hello,

the house we are living in was built in the early '60s. It was built using cavity blocks and is semi-detached - size c. 1,300 sq. feet. We moved into the house about 3 years ago.

The gable wall has a pebble-dash finish and faces the prevailing wind and has been drylined. However, the area under the stairs has not been drylined and phosphorous is visible on the inside of the gable wall which leads me to believe that water is penetrating. Also, after rain, the wall looks wet in patches for a long time after the rain has stopped.

My questions is what can I do about this. Would I be wasting my time just painting the wall with a good quality external paint, or do I need to look at getting the pebble-dash replaced. If the latter, any idea of what the cost of this is likely to be. I am in Cork city.

thanks.
 
Drylining internally will improve things cosmetically while allowing you to include some insulation and improve thermal performance. However if water is penetrating the wall construction due to driving rain this is a serious problem and dry lining will only "hide" the problem. It might be worth considering an external insulation and finishing system for the external wall(s) of the house, this would improve thermal efficiency and offer protection from the elements.
 
Carpenter,
I have a similar type problem with water penetration in an external wall.
What exactly is an "external insulation and finishing system for the external wall". Can you recommend any products.

Thanks
mmc
 
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