Living in our part of the world, we’ve all grown accustomed to the horizontal rain and the biting winter wind. But while we might wrap up in a heavy coat, our houses are constantly battling the elements. I spend a significant portion of my week at DM Property Services playing “property detective,” tracing the source of moisture or heat loss that’s making a homeowner’s life miserable.
The Battle Against Damp
Damp is the single most common complaint I hear, and it usually falls into three camps: Rising, Penetrating, or Condensation.
- Rising Damp: If you’re seeing “tide marks” on your ground floor skirting boards or bubbling plaster, your original damp-proof course (DPC) might have failed—or worse, it’s been “bridged.” I often see this where a new patio or driveway has been laid too high, touching the brickwork above the DPC line and giving moisture a literal bridge into your home.
- Penetrating Damp: This is usually down to the “envelope” of the building failing. It could be a cracked roof tile, a blocked gutter, or weathered mortar. I’ve seen many local terraces where the “repointing” was done poorly years ago with cement instead of lime mortar, trapping moisture inside the brick and causing it to “spall” or flake off.
- Condensation: This is the “modern” damp. As we make our homes more airtight with double glazing, we often forget to let the house breathe. If you have black mould in the corners of your bedroom or behind the wardrobe, it’s likely a ventilation issue. I don’t just tell you to “open a window”; I look at installing PIV (Positive Input Ventilation) systems or high-quality extractor fans that actually move the air.
Chasing the Drafts
A drafty house isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s a drain on your bank account. In older properties, the main culprits are often the suspended timber floors. If you have gaps between your floorboards, you’re essentially living over a cold wind tunnel. I’ve had great success lifting boards and installing breathable insulation between the joists. It’s a messy job, but the difference in barefoot comfort is night and day.
I also look at the “hidden” drafts—around the edges of window frames where the original mastic has dried and shrunk, or through old fireplaces that aren’t being used. My approach is to create a “sealed envelope” so that the heat you pay for actually stays inside.
Fixing the Cracks
As I mentioned in my previous post, cracks can be scary. But once we’ve identified that a crack isn’t a structural “red flag,” we still need to fix it properly. Using a bit of filler from a DIY shop won’t work on a house that moves seasonally. I use “helibar” reinforcement—essentially stainless steel rods embedded into the mortar—to “stitch” cracks together. This gives the masonry its strength back while allowing for a tiny bit of natural flex.
My goal is always to ensure your home isn’t just “fixed” for the next six months, but protected for the next sixty years.
