Alan Tierney
Damp can be a serious problem in any building, whether old or new, as it can damage the fabric and finishes and may even lead to health issues. But it’s easy to become more concerned than you really need to be and therefore end up taking the wrong approach to dealing with damp.
It’s common for homeowners to be unsure of what consequences it could have for their property, for example, and to get the significance of the issues in the wrong order. This has a bearing on treatment priorities and can lead to people commissioning ineffective, inappropriate or even damaging remedial work.
In this guide, I’ll be clearing up the main considerations you need to account for and helping you to identify the best ways to tackle damp in a heritage home.
Types of damp
Understanding what kind of damp is affecting your property can help you to identify potential causes – but as we’ll see later in this article, it’s easy to take the wrong course if you focus on the symptoms rather than the root of the issue. There are three main categories, which are generally characterised by their source:
Rising damp is the result of ground water creeping up the walls (or sometimes floors) by capillary action. It is most commonly seen at the base of walls, often leaving a tide mark at the limit of its extent. This is caused by the soluble salts that tend to be contained within ground water, which will become visible as white salt efflorescence as the wall dries. Rising damp is much less common than is generally thought. It is frequently misdiagnosed and ends up being treated with expensive, ineffective and potentially damaging methods.