I need professional opinion

[Lewis02]

Hi I’m no plasterer and I don’t know much about it but have had a plasterer in to do some damp proofing. However I’m not too sure it’s been done correctly as I was out the house so can’t give much detail of what they actually did. But when I got home there was a bunch of grey damp proofing plaster on the wall, it’s been around 4 months since they have done that the wall all seems fine expect there is a few dark grey spots they feel cold but not wet. I thought it may be a bust pipe as on the other side of the chimney breast I can see there is pipes leading into the wall but there is no actual water damage anywhere. I have attached photos one of the grey wall and the wall where I can see the pipes leading into the wall (I’m aware that wall hasn’t been done yet the plasterer hasn’t been back and still has my house key so ima assuming he’s took the money and ditched)

[dewaltdisney]

I am not an expert but it appears to me that there is still evidence of rising damp. A common way of treating this is to inject a chemical damp course using a string of holes. The chemical barrier then acts a damp course to stop damp rising. Now we have to assume that this work was done and I am not sure why the old damaged blown plaster was not hacked back and the area made good. As you do not know, it might be worth buying a damp tester (£20 Amazon) and spend a bit of time chartng the wall to establish any damp patterns. The plasterer sound like a chancer given he is on his toes. A bit of time spent getting a good picture of what it happening will be time well spent. Use the damp meter in a logical pattern and note down the readings on a chart. You may identify an area that neds further attention.


DWD

[wine~o]

Plasterers don't do damp proofing, much more info needed. Age and type of property, pics inside and out where the damp is an issue.

And I disagree with DWD about those damp meters that DWD recommends. they don't "detect" damp. See Peter Ward on you tube...

[dewaltdisney]

I did not know that about damp meters, they are clearly useless. The only way is the acetylene test but that would be impractical in this situation.

DWD

[wine~o]

dewaltdisney, They are ok for assessing moisture levels in untreated wood prior to laying wooden floors or similar. Other than that, yep useless. They only measure electrical resistance between the 2 prongs, so if you have say condensation on the surface of an internal wall it'll register high damp levels.