www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hi,
We had a damp patch appear high on our lounge wall before Xmas. A damp consultant came and checked the house and recommended guttering be repaired/replaced in different areas. Different builders that came round said the same thing so we had the work done.
It's rained on and off since then and we expected some dampness to still come through. However its been 3 weeks and there is new water coming through in the lounge and the upstairs box room (in the corner where wall meets our neighbours house, and downpipe on exterior replaced; also around window sill).
We've checked the window seals and they look fine. Could there be water getting in where the render was removed and the downpipe replaced?
What could be making the lounge wet still?
Any suggestions and recommendations greatly appreciated.
My hubby is currently having radiotherapy so would like to get this sorted without adding to his worries

I am sorry to hear you are having a hard time at the moment. There is clearly an ingress of water and that would appear to be a leak. Guttering is always a first suspect as leaks or blockages can cause rainwater to work its way into the fabric of the house. As the guttering is fixed now the next likely problem is a cracked roof tile or defective lead flashing. You need a decent roofer to look but you have to be careful that you get a decent firm and not some Pikey. I always say that Yell.com is a good place to look as you can find local trades people and with a bit of care reading the reviews the fakes soon show out. Avoid Trusta Checka Trade as they are full of chancers. I hope you can get it sorted.

DWD

Thank you for this.
So our tiles and lead flashing have been checked and both appear to be in working order.
Are there any other likely causes?

The next thing to check is if you have a pipe leak. The position on the wall might indicate a central heating pipe but it depends what is above and the logic of any feed pipes position. if you have a combi boiler then a leak would mean you would have to keep refilling the system on boiler lock out, but if you have an open vent system (unlikely) it would just top itself up. Have a look and see if this is possible. If it was a roof leak the upstairs room above would be stained so think about it logically and see if you can spot anything.

DWD

Sounds daft, but next time it rains in daylight, get an umbrella go outside and look at the wall, for that much of a patch I would hope you can see water running down the wall, see where does the rain stop (That will be where it is getting in) The problem with water is it will come in through the smallest gap and spread.

You could also (with help of a friend) point your garden hose at bits of the wall, with your friend inside, and when water comes in your friend could shout, that way where ever you are pointing the hose is where the water is coming in, of course turning the hose on, also helps. (Keep it pointing at one place for a few minutes before you move along)

Thanks both, I'll look into these options next