Has anyone experienced upward water damage in walls due to window or carport conversion?
Just added some pictures!
Thinking through some ideas before I start fixing things up.
Has anyone dealt with water seeping up from the ground and causing wood in a wall to rot?
My house is made of brick, and about 20 years ago, the carport was turned into a room. The area where cars used to park now has a window. Underneath that window, I’ve noticed some rot on the inside paneling. When I checked under the house, I also saw rot on the support posts (2×6’s).
Oddly enough, there doesn’t seem to be any water damage in the attic, even though this issue started after getting a new roof.
My theory is that water is either coming in from the window or running in from the sloped carport area and seeping underneath the house. When we had a big storm recently, I noticed puddles forming in that spot.
Yeah, not at my own place. We used to refer to it as ‘rising damp’. Essentially, any wood decay that stems from moisture or water problems in masonry. I feel like the term can be a bit misleading because any moisture issue is a moisture issue, regardless of where it’s coming from. Some masons argue that it’s impossible for moisture to seep up from the ground in quantities that could lead to problems. The solution involves using waterproof materials or materials that won’t transfer moisture between wood and any brick or stone. Make sure to address gutters, downspouts, and house drainage before anything else. You might need drainage pipes installed around that section of the house.
Hey , we have gutters and a downpipe away from the house. I don’t think the water is coming from the actual ground. Beneath the house, there’s concrete from the old carport and the 2x6s are resting on that. I think they only laid the brick veneer shallow, allowing water to seep down and then underneath onto the concrete. Does that make sense? After winter, I plan to completely renovate the room and put in concrete support with 4x4s. Owning a house always means having projects. I’m grateful I can handle the work myself.
It seems like there could be drainage problems if this is happening after the roof has been replaced. If gutters and downspouts were installed, I would guess that the soil is unable to handle the water, causing it to seep under the house.
Yep, that makes sense. The spot is tucked away in a corner so it’s likely to collect water. Plus, there are sloped roof valleys there. I’ll be heading up to the attic this weekend to double check and also inspect under the house.
Pics
I just uploaded photos of the space under the house and the paneled wall.
I believe there might be a humidity problem under that room. The moist air hitting the concrete could be causing condensation, which is then absorbed by the wood.
Hey , there’s pooling water under there near the exterior wall. My husband mentioned seeing something resembling mulch after a heavy rain. I agree that there are humidity issues, but there must be more to it for there to be so much standing water after rainfall. I’ll have a better idea after checking this weekend’s weather.