How can damp be prevented?
There is a common misconception that damp is usually ‘rising damp’ caused by the absence of a damp proof course. This is almost never the case in a traditional building where damp is normally a symptom of some other problem. Things to look for are: • Faulty gutters, down-pipes or drains. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in a review of its technical advisory service found that these were the cause of over 80% of damp problems • Raised ground levels against external walls so that damp seeps through from the earth outside • Repairs that have been made using modern cement pointing and render and wall coatings using modern impermeable paints. This traps water which then builds up internally and externally as damp patches and causes ‘bubbling’ on the surface.
