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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

PLEASE NOTE: A download link for Volume 1 will be sent to you by email and Volume 2 will be sent to you by post as a book.

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    • CommentAuthorRoss87
    • CommentTimeDec 27th 2024
     
    Hi,

    Does anyone on here have much experience using Stormdry (or similar products)?
    It seems to divide opinions..

    I have a couple of exposed sash window reveals on an 1890s Victorian end terrace that occasionally get a penetrating damp issue.

    This only happens very occasionaly (perhaps once a year) when driving rain makes a small damp patch on the internal plaster.

    Previous owners seem to have experimented with renders on the reveal, indicating the original Victorian detail wasn’t perfect.

    The pointing and sealants are in pretty good shape.

    Presumably lime plaster with a good breathable paint would also be more forgiving than gypsum which leaves a slight brown stain?

    In most cases I’m reluctant to apply non reversible modern materials to old buildings. But this could be an exception.

    Thanks
    Ross
  1.  
    I used Belzona 5122 12 or 13 years ago* for a front elevation in a very exposed location (frequent horizontal rain). After much rain the plaster used to 'bloom' where the original lime had been patched with gypsum. Replacement with lime helped a good deal and the Belzona limited the 'darkening' (wetting) after a lot of rain. H & S instructions were a little scary, but long gloves, safety glasses and a visor seemed to cut the mustard.

    *Before Stormdry existed, AFAIK.
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeDec 27th 2024
     
    I used Stormdry in two of our showers nine years ago. Where we have exposed lime plaster in range of a shower spray, I painted a coat of Stormdry. It seems to work well. I say lime plaster, although actually there's a coating of clay paint on top of the lime not that that makes any difference AFAIK.

    Outdoors we have Beeckosil on the lime render and that also seems to work well but is obviously coloured.
    • CommentAuthorCliff Pope
    • CommentTimeDec 28th 2024
     
    I tried it on an old stone chimney stack that soaked up water like a sponge and let it drip through when it rained. Stormdry was totally useless, and had no effect whatsoever. In the end I used Screwfix basic spray-on spirit based sealant, which has worked nearly perfectly for at least 10 years.
  2.  
    As they say YMMV
  3.  
    I used StormDry on the gable end of the barn conversion above the single storey kitchen roof. Fantastic. Stopped a proper dripping leak which was most likely caused by saturated stonework. I will happily use it again if the leak reappears. There may be pictures on here somewhere, If I recall.
  4.  
    Some people also think that it can contribute to energy efficiency of massive stone walls by keeping the wall dry.
  5.  
    IIRC it claims to be breathable
  6.  
    Also I expect that over time it wears off so isn’t irreversible in that respect. I am expecting to have to re-coat at some point.
  7.  
    'IIRC it claims to be breathable'

    It reduces overall breathability by about 10% according to the blurb.

    I think S.P.A.B. still don't recommend any wall treatments for historic walls...

    Still, it's got to be better than slapping on a concrete render like in the bad old days.
    • CommentAuthorRoss87
    • CommentTimeJan 6th 2025
     
    Thanks all,
    Interesting video here that seems to demonstrate the breathability:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eq5zNWnO8o

    As mentioned above, seems to currently be minimal endorsement from historic building professional bodies. At the same time minimal evidence of any destruction to masonry.

    Potentially it may get more popular to keep moisture away from internal insulation.
    •  
      CommentAuthorfostertom
    • CommentTimeJan 7th 2025 edited
     
    That vid is good - I had a sort-of plan once upon a time to offer trainings in practical understanding of the physics of ecobuilding, which would have been big on such DIY demonstration experiments, and adapting same for DIY testing of materials. Such as realising that the 75 Pa pressure differential used for quantifying the permeability of a vapour barrier (or 50Pa for doing building airtightness tests) etc, can easily be achieved by sucking with the mouth, and can be calibrated by creating a 7.5mm (or 5mm) water column in a drinking straw as you do it. Design any number of DIY tests around that! If this channel does a lot of that, I'll be watching all of it.

    Mr SkillBuilder missed the opportunity of emphasising that it's the difference between water as liquid, and water as vapour, that's in play here. Some comments obviously didn't get that. And why, in terms of molecule size. Which could be extended to experience how and why airtightness (i.e. permeation) of the mix of molecules of air (80% N2, 20% O2, plus variable H20 vapour and microscopic amounts of Ar and CO2) is expolitably different from the permeation of H2O molecules alone.

    And I agree with the fourth comment: "Have you done the same with a control sample? Without treatment showing water going trough?" and more.
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