I think I have finally solved the mystery of the cracked kitchen wall (
First mentioned here and
then mentioned here and that
seemed to be resolved, here)
Eighteen months have gone by since I finally got round to having it mended and naturally I still haven't painted the patch of plaster that was repaired. Julian at the time thought that the crack had come about due to some below par plaster or possibly because too much water had been used when the plaster was first put on.
The cause of the crack had been a mystery to all the workmen who came to look at it and this seemed as likely an explanation as any, though thinking about it, that didn't really explain the peeling wallpaper on the other side of the wall. Recently I have noticed that there has been a fair bit of dampness on the wall where the plaster cracked, but being the idiot I am who just hopes that ignoring problems will make them go away, I ignored it. Damp was clearly coming in from somewhere, but where? And how? And why? Why had the damp chosen to plague me?
This morning whilst out in my conservatory - yeah I've got a conservatory, get over it - I saw that an overflow pipe coming from the bath room had been spewing out water, and had been soaking the wall just by the problem bit of kitchen wall. I hadn't seen it overflowing before, but it had been gushing out and it's a safe bet to guess that if it has been doing this intermittently for the last five years then this might have worn away any water protective element of the brick work and allowed dampness to seap into the walls.
But I don't know what it is an overflow pipe for. I don't know where all that water has been coming from. I had a look to see what apparatus in the bathroom might be expunging water, but there was no obvious candidate.
So the saga continues. Now I need to find a man who will be able to tell me what is causing the water to overflow, where it is coming from and how to make it stop, and then presumably another man to look at the brickwork and make sure it is OK and doesn't let any more water in. Where are such men?
I was happier not knowing. Even if it meant that my house would eventually have fallen down, I would have slept more soundly for not having this minor problem at the back of my mind. And I fear if I get someone out that they will tell me that I have to have my entire house knocked down and built back up from scratch. In any case this little bit of cracked plaster has already resulted in me having to get one builder out and to having my bathroon floor ripped up and then replaced. What are the chances that to find out the problem with the overflow that they'll have to rip up the bathroom floor again. This could end up costing me millions.
So I might just ignore it for a bit longer and hope that that makes it go away. I can't see any problem with that as a plan. After all it's been like this for at least four and a half years. Another four and a half won't do any harm.
WIN A PSP
November quiz - Question 19 - amended
How many hits do you think the Warming Up page will get from 11.43am on the 20th November to 12.59pm on 21st November? In case of a tie at the end of the quiz the person who gets the closest gets the point. Plus if you get the number exactly right you get ten points. I will give you a clue. It is more than 7 and less than a million.
