what possible damage could a broken downpipe at the front of the house next door do to my house? Some thug kicked the lower half of the pipe away a few nights ago and now when the rain comes part of the wall of that house is soaking wet.I live in a row of terrace houses and the house next door is empty it's one of those absent landlords situations .

The water will penetrate through and cause damp in that area. Usually rectified when the water is no longer in contact with the wall but if it goes on for a while plaster will be affected, obviously the interior decor too and the area will need to be dried out before replastering etc. I'm not sure if prolonged water damage will damage the structure through the bricks, I presume eventually it must do as would a stream flowing through rocky land.

Long and worse case

1. The bricks will absord the water, during the winter this will freeze and blow the face off the brick. After a few years of this most of the brick or bricks will need replacing.

2. The water is running into the ground and not a drain, this will eventually erode the soil under the foundations and could cuase subsisdence.

If the wet area is near your house you'll have to fix it otherwise you'll get all damp and mould in your house. Even when it's been dried over summer the plaster will be rubbish and full of hygroscopic crystals that read DAMP on a surveyors meter.


lee