Brilliant survey Ross. It’s such a shame you don’t live local to me as I would pass on all my damp surveys after ive carried out the building survey. Keep up the good work
I used to live in a house that abutted direct onto a road and the ground sloped away towards the rear along a paved path. On cutting a slot through the paving along the side edge of the property I saw that the council had built up the front pavement two feet higher than the air bricks. The original surface was concrete so I used a hose to wash the accumulated dirt down the slope and out the bottom. When the air brick was cleared with a stick water ran out for a couple of minutes at a fast rate. I then fitted ACO drain covers to allow air to circulate along the side of the property. The council clammed up when I spoke to them and I then moved to a different house. Looking at the house across the street from mine the first step of an entrance staircase was flush with the pavement. Possibly a further one was buried. Not obvious apart from the proportions looking wrong. No feedback from the surveyor for our buyers luckily, and no mention from ours when we brought the house.
Sounds like you did a great investigation there bud👍 not unusual for the council get paths built up over the years, and difficult to get them to own up and rectify the issue… still at least you sold it on, with no dramas 👍👍👍
Great video, we were just considering putting one of these alongside our garage wall and kitchen extension. One of the many problems we have including blistering plaster in our inglenook fire place. It’s such a shame you are not in Northumberland. I have encountered far to many “Damp Experts” over the years who don’t look at the root issues before suggesting some off the peg solution.
I’ve had my house lime plastered, bell drip and render removed from ground. Still got rising damp so much so that the lower plugs are sparking from being soaked. I’m going to now install a drain myself some kind of French drain. I give up with damp experts. I’ve had it all done. ‘Damp proof plaster’ everything you suggested in this video, chemical dpcs changed to lime plaster etc and still have rising damp. I’m convinced damp experts haven’t a clue.
Thanks for taking the time to share, but are the high ground levels, combined with roof water allowed to drain straight into it, plus the rendering to ground level all of which you pointed out not the main cause of the damp? Seems wrong to label the whole video "ACO Drains Cause Rising Damp" because as you've also pointed out, if installed properly and without the other issues going on here it may not be.
Thanks Brian. In my opinion they shouldn’t have been installed abutting the house, and they weren’t installed in concrete if there was ever issues with leaking joints. This was always going to cause a damp issue internally. Unfortunately I rarely see these installed correctly, but as I have said often with damp there will always be multiple issues. If you look at my other videos it clearly shows issues with new builds with flooded cavity’s and damp. Do you find these are often installed poorly and cause damp issues?
Some useful information here. I’m about to put ACO drain to three sides of my property as the grades all slope to the house. (On a hill) now I’ve seen this I will be watching the fitter to make sure it’s done properly.
Very interesting Ross. I've got a Victorian house that's had ground floor damp in one corner - it had very bad cement pointing, now all redone in lime, so hopefully drying out. A design for a patio to come up to this wall has been done that details a slot drain to go against the wall, so like an ACO channel but with the channel hidden underneath the edge slab. Very neat but I'm concerned about trapping damp against the wall and splash back from the slab - no obvious sign of the DPC but this is too high for comfort - so I'm inclined to ignore the design and instead have an open channel , no more than 6" wide, with a fibreglass "cast-iron look" grid on top - then beneath the grid have a deep channel with a bit of shingle at the base, so lots of air can circulate around the lower part of the wall. It'll only have to manage what water runs down the wall, which can't be a huge amount, so I'm thinking that can just soak away into the base of the channel.
This is a great video. I have learnt a lot from watching this. I wish I knew someone like you nearer to me. If you know some one in Suffolk that you think is as sensible. Please let me know. Thanks
I've been thinking of having an Aco drain along my extension back door wall it's only about 2 metres long and my patio slopes down toward the house. The slabs stop about an inch from the door and then it's just soil. Keep getting slugs inside and the walls are damp. So what's the solution to keep damp off the wall if Aco isn't the answer?
Hi Ross, I was advised by a Damp surveyor to install an Aco drain by taking out brick pavers alongside the wall as they are breaching the DPC, however, after watching this video I am petrified this could do more harm than good. I have been advised to use lime and only traditional material for my 1880s property, but a lot of aca drains are fitted on concrete basis by the foundation which makes no sense. Would really love to hear what you recommend for someone in my position.
@@completepreservation Nothing wrong with it as long as the drains don't have hole and gaps? and are fitted with good workmanship. Those drains are not very well isntalled.
They leak at the joints, and up against the wall prevent evaporation of moisture… didn’t get me wrong there is lots going on also… chuck some dye in one and bung it and watch… crazy
I'm having my garden landscaped and they are planning to fit concrete aco drains tight up against the house. I can't have a soak away as it's not practical in the type of garden I have. Do you not recommend aco drains?
I do think these are a great idea. You just need to be careful that you ensure they don't introduce damp at the base of the wall because of defects (like this video), and ensure if there is a physical damp proof course you still have 150mm clearance.
@@completepreservation would you recommend having the aco drain installed approx 300mm away from the house and would you recommend plastic or concrete aco drains? My concern after watching your video is the joints between each aco drain.
Without seeing it isn't ideal for me to give advice. If I was you I would just make sure whoever is installing it does it properly, and you check it to be sure. Even 300mm away can cause issues if there is quite a lot of water escaping. If you see my other videos on these drains you will see it flooding through the cavity wall and to the suspended timber floor. If I was doing it, and there was no traffic I would use plastic and seal all of the joints up to be sure..... there you go I said it :) And make sure there is a leaf guard, and it actually terminates into the drain with a manufactured connection. Don't forget to clean them, so ensure the tops can be lifted out.
Thanks for the video. My Girlfriend has an ACO drain at her property and has a similar rising damp issue on a back wall. We're about to investigate what's going on.
Hi Ross great vid. I have a Victorian house with an external wall adjoining a public footpath that runs downhill. The council have built this 4 inches above the slate dpc and right up against the property. Would you recommend a channel being cut out to 150mm below the dpc and filling it with stone or putting in a drainage system to run downhill?
Thanks bud, without seeing it I can’t really comment bud. Lowering ground level will definitely help. Installing an Aco will also help, just be careful of leaking joints etc 👍
Great video - we have just installed ACO drains (away from the wall) but the joints are shocking and a lot of water leaks. So will seal them as you suggested, can’t work out why the connections between the pieces are so bad. What would you suggest for a patio that’s going to breach the DPC? No choice at all because of extremely shallow drains. Can’t dig down at all. Would you put a French drain next to the wall in the gap between the ACO drains and the wall? I’ve been looking into this for months and still at a loss. Thanks for such great content
Thanks :) Without actually carrying out a survey I can't really give advice.... but something like this might be suitable for you th-cam.com/video/m85jAjGcemw/w-d-xo.html
Hi Alex, I can only think it was to get it to a drain. Unfortunately this is such a common issue... I’ve got another couple I’ll put up, which will frustrate you 😂😂😂
Thanks. Unfortunately you're some 200 odd miles away It's annoying finding trades people sometimes. I don't get the cheapest quote though sometimes the most expensive quote is just as cowboy as the cheapest person. It's frustrating as I just want the job done properly I'll pay for a well done job
Another investigation carried out by a true professional. Nice result.
Thanks Jon 👍
Brilliant survey Ross. It’s such a shame you don’t live local to me as I would pass on all my damp surveys after ive carried out the building survey. Keep up the good work
Thanks Paul appreciate the kind comment 👍
Great advice again Ross 🙂 you certainly come across plenty of issues on your surveys.
Thanks for the compliment… I’ve looked at some right lash ups lately! There will be some videos 👍
Wow this has opened my eyes to a problem we have, our set up is similar and we have been scratching our heads as to why we have black walls inside?
Always look for the root cause.. have a look on my Instagram there is a ton of vids on damp and daily stories 👍👍👍
I used to live in a house that abutted direct onto a road and the ground sloped away towards the rear along a paved path. On cutting a slot through the paving along the side edge of the property I saw that the council had built up the front pavement two feet higher than the air bricks. The original surface was concrete so I used a hose to wash the accumulated dirt down the slope and out the bottom. When the air brick was cleared with a stick water ran out for a couple of minutes at a fast rate. I then fitted ACO drain covers to allow air to circulate along the side of the property. The council clammed up when I spoke to them and I then moved to a different house. Looking at the house across the street from mine the first step of an entrance staircase was flush with the pavement. Possibly a further one was buried. Not obvious apart from the proportions looking wrong. No feedback from the surveyor for our buyers luckily, and no mention from ours when we brought the house.
Sounds like you did a great investigation there bud👍 not unusual for the council get paths built up over the years, and difficult to get them to own up and rectify the issue… still at least you sold it on, with no dramas 👍👍👍
Great video, we were just considering putting one of these alongside our garage wall and kitchen extension. One of the many problems we have including blistering plaster in our inglenook fire place. It’s such a shame you are not in Northumberland. I have encountered far to many “Damp Experts” over the years who don’t look at the root issues before suggesting some off the peg solution.
Thanks for the kind comment Graham, and get those drains checked before spending any money 👌
I’ve had my house lime plastered, bell drip and render removed from ground. Still got rising damp so much so that the lower plugs are sparking from being soaked. I’m going to now install a drain myself some kind of French drain. I give up with damp experts. I’ve had it all done. ‘Damp proof plaster’ everything you suggested in this video, chemical dpcs changed to lime plaster etc and still have rising damp. I’m convinced damp experts haven’t a clue.
Lime plaster isn’t always the answer bud… have you had a CCTV drain survey and plumbing tests?
I agree, they haven't a clue, they just want to steal your money.
Thanks for taking the time to share, but are the high ground levels, combined with roof water allowed to drain straight into it, plus the rendering to ground level all of which you pointed out not the main cause of the damp?
Seems wrong to label the whole video "ACO Drains Cause Rising Damp" because as you've also pointed out, if installed properly and without the other issues going on here it may not be.
Thanks Brian. In my opinion they shouldn’t have been installed abutting the house, and they weren’t installed in concrete if there was ever issues with leaking joints. This was always going to cause a damp issue internally. Unfortunately I rarely see these installed correctly, but as I have said often with damp there will always be multiple issues. If you look at my other videos it clearly shows issues with new builds with flooded cavity’s and damp. Do you find these are often installed poorly and cause damp issues?
Some useful information here. I’m about to put ACO drain to three sides of my property as the grades all slope to the house. (On a hill) now I’ve seen this I will be watching the fitter to make sure it’s done properly.
Glad I might have helped 👌
Very interesting Ross. I've got a Victorian house that's had ground floor damp in one corner - it had very bad cement pointing, now all redone in lime, so hopefully drying out. A design for a patio to come up to this wall has been done that details a slot drain to go against the wall, so like an ACO channel but with the channel hidden underneath the edge slab. Very neat but I'm concerned about trapping damp against the wall and splash back from the slab - no obvious sign of the DPC but this is too high for comfort - so I'm inclined to ignore the design and instead have an open channel , no more than 6" wide, with a fibreglass "cast-iron look" grid on top - then beneath the grid have a deep channel with a bit of shingle at the base, so lots of air can circulate around the lower part of the wall. It'll only have to manage what water runs down the wall, which can't be a huge amount, so I'm thinking that can just soak away into the base of the channel.
Thanks Geoff, such a common issue. Sounds like you’ve made a plan that will certainly help 👍
This is a great video. I have learnt a lot from watching this.
I wish I knew someone like you nearer to me. If you know some one in Suffolk that you think is as sensible. Please let me know.
Thanks
Thanks Jeff appreciate the kind comments. Unfortunately I don’t I’m afraid, you can email me any questions bud enquiries@completepreservation.co.uk
If the ACO drain is two bricks below the damp course, is it okay to have it next to the house?
As long as it doesn’t leak at the joints👍
My first thought was why the hell is there an eco drain against the house!
Exactly Joey....ive seen plenty like this, and im sure you have :)
Aco
Seen a vid of a diy dude doing this with quite some views
I've been thinking of having an Aco drain along my extension back door wall it's only about 2 metres long and my patio slopes down toward the house. The slabs stop about an inch from the door and then it's just soil. Keep getting slugs inside and the walls are damp. So what's the solution to keep damp off the wall if Aco isn't the answer?
It needs to be water proof joints, and below dpc 👍
Good stuff Ross
Thanks Mark :)
Hi Ross, I was advised by a Damp surveyor to install an Aco drain by taking out brick pavers alongside the wall as they are breaching the DPC, however, after watching this video I am petrified this could do more harm than good. I have been advised to use lime and only traditional material for my 1880s property, but a lot of aca drains are fitted on concrete basis by the foundation which makes no sense. Would really love to hear what you recommend for someone in my position.
I certainly wouldn’t install these directly abutting a house. I’ve got a vi about lowering ground levels that’s what I would recommend 👍
A channel drain will definitely improve the damp situation. The issue here is a soakaway that is bunged up and poorly installed channel drains.
@@completepreservation Nothing wrong with it as long as the drains don't have hole and gaps? and are fitted with good workmanship. Those drains are not very well isntalled.
They leak at the joints, and up against the wall prevent evaporation of moisture… didn’t get me wrong there is lots going on also… chuck some dye in one and bung it and watch… crazy
I'm having my garden landscaped and they are planning to fit concrete aco drains tight up against the house. I can't have a soak away as it's not practical in the type of garden I have. Do you not recommend aco drains?
I do think these are a great idea. You just need to be careful that you ensure they don't introduce damp at the base of the wall because of defects (like this video), and ensure if there is a physical damp proof course you still have 150mm clearance.
@@completepreservation would you recommend having the aco drain installed approx 300mm away from the house and would you recommend plastic or concrete aco drains? My concern after watching your video is the joints between each aco drain.
Without seeing it isn't ideal for me to give advice. If I was you I would just make sure whoever is installing it does it properly, and you check it to be sure. Even 300mm away can cause issues if there is quite a lot of water escaping. If you see my other videos on these drains you will see it flooding through the cavity wall and to the suspended timber floor. If I was doing it, and there was no traffic I would use plastic and seal all of the joints up to be sure..... there you go I said it :)
And make sure there is a leaf guard, and it actually terminates into the drain with a manufactured connection. Don't forget to clean them, so ensure the tops can be lifted out.
You can check soakaways I live in country and have done for for years that’s how farmers houses are guided by soak aways
You have more to lean yet
Not sure what you mean. This video explains about trying to inspect soakaways. Good luck trying though th-cam.com/video/GrXUjcgrE3s/w-d-xo.html
Very good advice
Thanks Dave :)
Thanks for the video.
My Girlfriend has an ACO drain at her property and has a similar rising damp issue on a back wall. We're about to investigate what's going on.
I hope it helps you 👍
Hi Ross great vid. I have a Victorian house with an external wall adjoining a public footpath that runs downhill. The council have built this 4 inches above the slate dpc and right up against the property. Would you recommend a channel being cut out to 150mm below the dpc and filling it with stone or putting in a drainage system to run downhill?
Thanks bud, without seeing it I can’t really comment bud. Lowering ground level will definitely help. Installing an Aco will also help, just be careful of leaking joints etc 👍
Great video - we have just installed ACO drains (away from the wall) but the joints are shocking and a lot of water leaks. So will seal them as you suggested, can’t work out why the connections between the pieces are so bad.
What would you suggest for a patio that’s going to breach the DPC? No choice at all because of extremely shallow drains. Can’t dig down at all.
Would you put a French drain next to the wall in the gap between the ACO drains and the wall? I’ve been looking into this for months and still at a loss.
Thanks for such great content
Thanks :) Without actually carrying out a survey I can't really give advice.... but something like this might be suitable for you th-cam.com/video/m85jAjGcemw/w-d-xo.html
What is the point in that drain, beats me what goes through some peoples heads
Hi Alex, I can only think it was to get it to a drain. Unfortunately this is such a common issue... I’ve got another couple I’ll put up, which will frustrate you 😂😂😂
Thanks. Unfortunately you're some 200 odd miles away
It's annoying finding trades people sometimes. I don't get the cheapest quote though sometimes the most expensive quote is just as cowboy as the cheapest person. It's frustrating as I just want the job done properly
I'll pay for a well done job
Very annoying… unfortunately even if you pay top money it doesn’t mean it will be decent work 🤦♂️
Wahay im in Trowbridge!
Trowvegas 😂😂😂
Fuck me a professional. So hard to come by in the building trade. Good job lad
Cheers Rozzer 👍👍👍
Sounds like Steve merchant 😂
Is that good thing or not 😜
Great video. Aco drains are a load of shit. They generally only capture water that falls directly in them from above
Its not aco drains. Its shit fitting
agree it is poor installation along with everything else....such a common problem though that's why ive done a video on it
Spot on.
They actually thought this would do something positive?
Yep…. This is common I’ve done plenty of vids of rubbish like this…normally costs a chunk of money to fix also 👍👍👍
Aco soakaways, shocking. Total bodge.
Same old story 👍