Period Damp Proofing

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Damp Proofing for Period Properties

From Victorian terraced streets to grand Georgian townhouses, period properties are what give London its character and charm. But if we don’t look after them, they can become damaged by damp, mould and rot – sometimes beyond repair.

Our team of damp experts are skilled in assessing and treating all forms of damp, including the major structural causes of damp that often affect period properties, such as a failed damp proof course or penetrating damp through decayed pointing.

Thanks to our skilled contractors and tradespeople, we’re able to perform all remedial works required to both damp proof a home and repair any damage the damp has caused, from peeling paint and crumbling plaster to rotten timbers and skirting boards.

Call us now or request a call back to learn more about our damp proofing services for period homes.

Our period home damp proofing is built to last

We pride ourselves as being one of the few damp proofing companies in London who always address the cause of structural damp at its source. We never cover areas with paint, plaster or membranes in an attempt to “hide” the damp.

Unfortunately, covering rather than stopping damp is has been common practice for many years in period buildings.

This can be extremely destructive as it diverts water ingress to other parts of the property, leading to long term structural damage which often isn’t discovered until it’s very advanced.

It’s also more difficult to diagnose the cause of damp in period homes that have been subject to superficial damp works, as the source of the damp can be far away from where the visible signs have sprung up.

Ensuring a period property is truly water tight throughout its fabric should be the main priority of any credible damp proofing company.

Top-to-bottom damp proofing for period homes

When damp proofing period properties, we often have to address decades of shoddy workmanship and alterations on top of problems with the original structure.

It’s more common for period homes to have been subjected to a patchwork of short-term fixes rather than a complete, top-to-bottom restoration.

Because these works weren’t carried out by the same teams, or even in the same century, a fix in one part of the building can be responsible for causing a problem somewhere else. Then this problem is fixed, causing a problem elsewhere, and so on.

For example, many period homes have been victims of heavy handed insulation works which reduced the “breathability” of the brick walls. These homes were warmer, at the cost of moisture building up inside, leading to condensation, damp and mould.

Our approach to damp works is to address the building as a whole, ensuring that all sources of water ingress and moisture build up are resolved at once. Only then should the internal remedial works be carried out.

There’s no point plastering a wall or replacing skirting boards if an unaddressed source of damp makes it all crumble off a few years later.

Why we use original building techniques and materials in period damp proofing

Period buildings move throughout their lives, expanding and contracting with the seasons and settling over time. The materials used need to take this into account, otherwise they can damage the building.

A common example is using mortar that is harder than the bricks that they sit between. If the mortar is not soft, the bricks won’t be able to move and the pressure will cause them to crack and shatter, providing further opportunities for water ingress.

The downside of traditional building materials is that they’re more subject to decay and erosion. Regular maintenance is important to check the health of a period building, which we recommend be performed every 6-7 years.

If your home is in a Conservation Area or is a listed building, carrying out works which alter the original structure or appearance of the house may be illegal, so it’s important you work with contractors experienced in traditional building techniques.