All hands to the pumps with this one. Imagine discovering a waterfall cascading down your wall, four hours before you're due to catch a 'plane! 

This was one of those surveys where good eyesight, common sense and general experience of buildings were required.  The clients were about to go on holiday later that evening when they noticed water pouring down a wall.  As part of their 'securing the house ready for the hols' routine, they'd topped up the pressure in the sealed system central heating.  They'd done it before without any problems and consequently they didn't associate this action with the problem.  Read on...

Property Holmfirth,West Yorkshire

Instructions To respond to, and try to identify, the source of water running down the gable wall, especially in the area of the porch abutting ****** Lane.

Background The clients have owned the property for several years. Prior to their occupation it had been partially refurbished and the gable wall (****** Lane side) had been rebuilt. Central heating has also been installed at, or around, this time. In the last week or so it was noticed that a substantial amount of water was to be seen on the gable wall element of the front porch. The client had removed several floorboards in the front bedroom adjacent to the gable wall in an effort to trace the source of this water. An insurance inspector had already given an opinion that its source was from the plumbing system.

Disclosures I have no affiliation, financial or otherwise, with the client or the property.

Limitations Nil

Restrictions Restricted to the above issues only.

Date of Survey January 2005.

Weather Occasional showers and high winds.

Type of Property Victorian end terrace, stone built.

External Observations The property faces in a northwesterly direction. It has solid rubble filled walls except for the newly rebuilt gable, which is of nine-inch blockwork (internally) and has a dressed stone outer skin. The central heating balanced flue is visible on the gable wall but, as far as I could ascertain, there were no other protuberances of any kind. In view of later discoveries this seems odd.

In the porch area, clean water was to be seen on the gable wall. Although it was not possible to confirm whether it was flowing or static, there certainly seemed to be a lot of it and its source was either currently productive or, if ceased, very recent. This water did not appear on the external gable wall, which presents to ****** Lane. I gained the impression its source was internal to the wall, i.e. between the blockwork and the stone face.

Internal Observations As previously mentioned, the client had removed several floorboards adjacent to the gable wall in the front bedroom. The exposed joists and lath and plasterwork of the ceiling below showed water staining but were not soaked. The joists are not currently in danger and neither is the lath and plaster.

In this bedrooms is a cupboard which houses the central heating boiler (Ravensheat Combination Boiler). There are several pipes leading into the base of this boiler including the central heating flow and return, the domestic hot water, cold water supply and gas pipe. All of these pipes are sited such that they are visible from inside the boiler cupboard and do not enter the gable wall. The remaining pipe, which I believe is the pressure overflow pipe, leads into the blockwork and is presumably intended to terminate outside the building in a prominent position. This is so that any overflows caused by high pressure in the system can easily be seen.

A visible inspection of all of the pipework, including the shower pipes, revealed that none of them were leaking into the property.

Discussion There is far too much free water to be associated with penetrating damp and I agree with the insurance inspector that the source is a plumbing leak.

As mentioned, I could not see any pipework penetrating the outside of the gable wall and, given that the pressure overflow pipe should terminate here, it is apparent that an error has occurred during the installation of the central heating system or when the gable wall was rebuilt.

Without actually dismantling this section of the wall I conclude that the overflow pipe is terminated inside the cavity of the gable wall and recent ‘topping up’ of the sealed system has led to a pressure build-up. This in turn has actuated the relief valve and water has poured into the cavity.

It may also be that the relief valve is faulty and is allowing water into the cavity at other times.

Conclusions This is a problem, which needs addressing by a local plumber. If it is what I suspect then it is not a major job to repair it and, so far as I can ascertain, no long lasting damage has occurred and the water, which has escaped, should dry out within the next few weeks.

Two local plumbers that may be able to assist you are:

*********

*********

Please note: I am not recommending either of the above; I am merely providing their names for your convenience. You may wish to contact them but you should ascertain for yourselves their suitability to carry out the work you require.

I trust the above is satisfactory for your purposes but should you require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am interested in your problem and will be happy to assist you in the future in any way I can.

Surveyor Patrick F Doyle CSRT M. Inst. R.T.S.

Qualifications Certificated Surveyor in Remedial Treatments
(issued by B.W.P.D.A.)

Date of Report January 2005

Signed Surveyor

The above findings are based on the interpretation of results from a standard non-destructive inspection; this, by necessity, has limitations. If you require confirmatory/definitive diagnosis of my findings then this can be undertaken by the use of destructive methods of investigation: these will involve some damage and costs.