Hello
I have a small problem with damp walls on both sides next to the patio doors and the front door. The dampness rises along the walls between 25 - 40 cm (10 - 16 inches).
We already had this issue in spring. I spoke with our builder, and he said it was caused by the silicone joints. These seal the exterior transition between the windows and the tiles, so that rainwater runs down the windows and flows over the silicone joint onto the tiles.
I inspected it at that time and the joint had obvious cracks because the building settled since the house was built in 2008. I then renewed the seals and had no problems over summer.
After the heavy rain in recent days, however, the walls are damp again. I checked the new silicone joints again and could not find any cracks or holes. Just to be sure, I applied silicone over the joints again.
Now my questions:
There is foam insulation between the window frame and the brick wall on the exterior. Could it be that this absorbs water and lets it run inside between the bricks and the interior wall?
Where else could the water be coming from?
How can I best get the water out again? I think it is running under the screed. By the way, we have underfloor heating – but there is no pressure drop.
I would appreciate any advice. Thank you very much for your help.
Regards
Christian Hölscher
I have a small problem with damp walls on both sides next to the patio doors and the front door. The dampness rises along the walls between 25 - 40 cm (10 - 16 inches).
We already had this issue in spring. I spoke with our builder, and he said it was caused by the silicone joints. These seal the exterior transition between the windows and the tiles, so that rainwater runs down the windows and flows over the silicone joint onto the tiles.
I inspected it at that time and the joint had obvious cracks because the building settled since the house was built in 2008. I then renewed the seals and had no problems over summer.
After the heavy rain in recent days, however, the walls are damp again. I checked the new silicone joints again and could not find any cracks or holes. Just to be sure, I applied silicone over the joints again.
Now my questions:
There is foam insulation between the window frame and the brick wall on the exterior. Could it be that this absorbs water and lets it run inside between the bricks and the interior wall?
Where else could the water be coming from?
How can I best get the water out again? I think it is running under the screed. By the way, we have underfloor heating – but there is no pressure drop.
I would appreciate any advice. Thank you very much for your help.
Regards
Christian Hölscher
6
6Richtige22 Nov 2010 10:53Hello Christian,
just upload a photo here from the construction phase showing the waterproofing used on the concrete slab against rising damp.
just upload a photo here from the construction phase showing the waterproofing used on the concrete slab against rising damp.
Hello,
we have just completed our build, and fortunately this problem has not occurred in our case. What I can definitely say about our house is that none of the windows or doors were sealed airtight on the inside during installation. According to energy-saving regulations (building code), this is a strict requirement. If you are experiencing something similar and the exterior sealing against moisture is also missing, the issue is most likely due to air exchange at the construction level between the window/patio door and the raw concrete. This is where the airtight sealing must be applied. Silicone is not a proper solution here!
Cold air will inevitably be drawn behind the floor-to-ceiling elements, while warm air remains on the inside. The result is likely to be condensation, which then slowly rises inside the reveals due to capillary action.
If you don’t have photos, this is unfortunate. The only way to prove the missing sealing is to open up the structure. This can also be done from the outside because if the foam insulation around the doors is removed, the sealing tape should be visible from the exterior.
In our case, the lateral and upper sealing are present, only the lower sealing is missing. According to a lawyer, this constitutes a significant construction defect. From your description, and given that the problem appears with moisture and during winter, it unfortunately sounds like the same pattern.
My advice: consult a lawyer and a building expert promptly. The problem disappears in summer but next winter the mold issue will only worsen.
Best regards
we have just completed our build, and fortunately this problem has not occurred in our case. What I can definitely say about our house is that none of the windows or doors were sealed airtight on the inside during installation. According to energy-saving regulations (building code), this is a strict requirement. If you are experiencing something similar and the exterior sealing against moisture is also missing, the issue is most likely due to air exchange at the construction level between the window/patio door and the raw concrete. This is where the airtight sealing must be applied. Silicone is not a proper solution here!
Cold air will inevitably be drawn behind the floor-to-ceiling elements, while warm air remains on the inside. The result is likely to be condensation, which then slowly rises inside the reveals due to capillary action.
If you don’t have photos, this is unfortunate. The only way to prove the missing sealing is to open up the structure. This can also be done from the outside because if the foam insulation around the doors is removed, the sealing tape should be visible from the exterior.
In our case, the lateral and upper sealing are present, only the lower sealing is missing. According to a lawyer, this constitutes a significant construction defect. From your description, and given that the problem appears with moisture and during winter, it unfortunately sounds like the same pattern.
My advice: consult a lawyer and a building expert promptly. The problem disappears in summer but next winter the mold issue will only worsen.
Best regards
Hello Christian
Unfortunately, there are many possible causes for your problem. This can ultimately only be narrowed down with knowledge of the construction (detailed drawings/work planning) and execution (tender/contract award with the wording of the "ordered service"). Especially if there are no pictures of the affected components.
But regardless, this is a construction defect that needs to be fixed. This certainly does not have to be the fault of the builder. Others are responsible for this, including the architect and site manager!
The window installation must be carried out according to the applicable RAL guideline. This has clearly specified for many years how it must be properly executed. If this is not the case, it is a construction defect!
The "foam" you mentioned is hardly the cause of moisture penetration. It was used instead of polyurethane foam and is only part of the installation guideline according to the RAL standard.
Also, it does not help to apply another "thick" layer of silicone sealant over an existing one. This is actually also a construction defect because it does not function properly and should not be installed like this. At least not by a professional. Furthermore, there should be an aluminum threshold at the connection to the patio door, under which the tile covering is laid extending to the door frame. A silicone joint there is pointless; the element must be fundamentally and permanently sealed. A silicone joint definitely does not count as a permanent seal! It is an elastic joint filler that is not covered by any warranty itself. Therefore, it must always be checked and renewed if necessary (but please observe the installation guidelines when doing so!).
Unfortunately, there are many possible causes for your problem. This can ultimately only be narrowed down with knowledge of the construction (detailed drawings/work planning) and execution (tender/contract award with the wording of the "ordered service"). Especially if there are no pictures of the affected components.
But regardless, this is a construction defect that needs to be fixed. This certainly does not have to be the fault of the builder. Others are responsible for this, including the architect and site manager!
The window installation must be carried out according to the applicable RAL guideline. This has clearly specified for many years how it must be properly executed. If this is not the case, it is a construction defect!
The "foam" you mentioned is hardly the cause of moisture penetration. It was used instead of polyurethane foam and is only part of the installation guideline according to the RAL standard.
Also, it does not help to apply another "thick" layer of silicone sealant over an existing one. This is actually also a construction defect because it does not function properly and should not be installed like this. At least not by a professional. Furthermore, there should be an aluminum threshold at the connection to the patio door, under which the tile covering is laid extending to the door frame. A silicone joint there is pointless; the element must be fundamentally and permanently sealed. A silicone joint definitely does not count as a permanent seal! It is an elastic joint filler that is not covered by any warranty itself. Therefore, it must always be checked and renewed if necessary (but please observe the installation guidelines when doing so!).
We have this post.
We also built in 2008, and everything was fine at first. For a few months now, we have had the same problem with large windows (patio doors). After heavy rain, the walls on the right and left sides of the doors get wet. The wall is exposed to prevailing weather. We have already sealed around the window frames from the outside with acrylic and also around the windowsill. We built the house ourselves and applied the aluminum flashing from the outside (aluminum adhesive sealing tape). Interestingly, the problem only occurs with these two large windows. On the weather-exposed side, we have several other windows (all small), but none show any leaks.
Do you have roller shutter boxes at the large windows?
We wanted to ask Christian if he has made any progress with his problem? Maybe someone can help us further.
Best regards
We also built in 2008, and everything was fine at first. For a few months now, we have had the same problem with large windows (patio doors). After heavy rain, the walls on the right and left sides of the doors get wet. The wall is exposed to prevailing weather. We have already sealed around the window frames from the outside with acrylic and also around the windowsill. We built the house ourselves and applied the aluminum flashing from the outside (aluminum adhesive sealing tape). Interestingly, the problem only occurs with these two large windows. On the weather-exposed side, we have several other windows (all small), but none show any leaks.
Do you have roller shutter boxes at the large windows?
We wanted to ask Christian if he has made any progress with his problem? Maybe someone can help us further.
Best regards
Hello,
Best regards
Hölschi schrieb:What is the opinion of your construction supervisor/advisor?
Now my questions: There is foam between the window frame and the brick wall on the exterior walls. Could it be that this foam absorbs water and allows it to run inside between the brickwork and the interior wall? Where else could the water be coming from?
Best regards
Similar topics