The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Techniques and skills => Topic started by: shygirl on December 26, 2014, 07:46:54 pm
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We have had a damp/mould problem on the ground floor bathroom ceiling for a while now and I thought it was due to steam etc so have been cleaning and painting with anti-mould paint.
however last week I heard dripping when it was raining and checked the un-used loft/attic space to find the vent (on the left in the picture) was dripping water through the thick insulation and onto the plasterboard ceiling. it was so worn/soft I could put my finger through the ceiling :o
question is what is the purpose of the left hand vent? It has a drainpipe style attachment coming down from roof (cant remember where it goes to) but it isn't the vent for the extraction fan as that's the right hand one. the boiler is the other side of the house and there doesn't seem to be anything leaving the roof from either of these vent in the picture but both are present above the shower room awell.
there are no missing roof tiles so how is the best way to stop water coming in?
any ideas?
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Have you got an extractor fan fitted? If so it's probably venting through one of these . Try to prise the flashing up gently and put a good dollop of silicon around especially above and ease the flashing back down.
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the extraction fan is the one on the right.
im planning on fixing it myself so any advice appreciated, thanks
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Is there a toilet in the room if so it could be a vent pipe
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I think its the soil pipe vent. if it was anything else surely it would have a rain cover on it.
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yes there are toilets in both rooms that have this vent and 2 extraction fans.
so attack with the silicone o solve the leak?
on a separate note - iv lost a lot of concrete around the ridges over the years and im hoping to replace it this spring. is it just ordinary concrete/mortar that you use? or something else?
thankyou
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I don't think you have to have a soil vent pipe discharging to the outside these days. So if it is the SVP and you have access to the active where it passeses through the roof, you could cut the vent pipe short of the roof inside the attic and fit an air admittance valve (Screwfix cat no.78150). You then make good the roof and close the hole completely. A bigger job it's true, but a permanent solution.
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It is the soil pipe, which provides an air vent for the foul drainage. The flashing around it has failed, probably because it isn't a proper lead tile, but some cheap aluminium or plastic arrangement. As Slimjim says you could remove it and fit an air admittance valve if you are sure there is no chance of a gas buildup because the system is vented to air elsewhere. Worth mentioning that the air admittance valves come in packaging with a polystyrene cup over the top of the vent. This is NOT packaging -it is insulation to stop moisture freezing and the valve jamming shut. I have seen dozens of installations where this insulation has been mistakingly taken off.
You will have to have the roof repaired and the tile/flashing replaced Shygirl. You won't achieve anything from inside with silicone. I would have a proper lead tile fitted with a solvent welded seal between the pipe and the lead, which may mean renewing the top section of pipe as well. (I am a qualified plumber). Sorry, but this necessary work won't be cheap.
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thanks all. this is really helpful now I know what im looking at.
many thanks :thumbsup: