Part of Ward Property Services UK LtdDamp, mould and moisture guides
Practical articles to help you understand moisture problems in your property.
Damp
What Causes Rising Damp?
Rising damp is diagnosed far more often than it occurs. Here is what actually causes it, and the cheaper faults that mimic it.
Condensation
How To Stop Condensation In Your Home
Condensation is the most common damp problem in British homes and often the cheapest to solve. Here is the order to tackle it in.
Leaks & Water Damage
Early Signs Of Water Damage You Should Never Ignore
Most expensive water damage started as something small and easily missed. These are the signs worth acting on immediately.
Condensation
How To Prevent Black Mould For Good
Cleaning mould off a wall treats the symptom. Preventing it means changing the conditions that let it grow.
Buying & Selling
Buying A House With Damp: What You Need To Know
A damp reading in a survey is not a reason to walk away — but it is a reason to find out exactly what you are buying.
Guides
Dry Rot vs Wet Rot: How To Tell The Difference
One stays where the water is. The other travels through masonry into dry timber. Telling them apart changes everything about the repair.
Damp
Seven Signs of Penetrating Damp
Penetrating damp enters through a defect in the external envelope and usually worsens after wind-driven rain.
Damp
Rising Damp or Condensation?
Low-level staining is often labelled rising damp even when humid air, cold bridging or an external defect is responsible.
Damp
Damp Proof Courses Explained
A damp proof course forms a horizontal barrier that limits moisture moving upward through porous masonry.
Damp
Why Damp Returns After Painting
Stain-block paint can hide a mark temporarily but cannot stop moisture moving through a wall or ceiling.
Damp
Damp in Victorian Houses
Solid walls, suspended floors and later impermeable alterations make Victorian houses behave differently from modern cavity construction.
Condensation
How to Stop Black Mould in Bedrooms
Bedroom mould usually forms overnight where moisture from breathing meets cold external corners, reveals or furniture-backed walls.
Condensation
Why Condensation Forms on Windows
Glass is often the coldest surface in a room, so it reaches dew point before walls and visible water forms there first.
Condensation
The Best Humidity Level for a Home
Persistently high relative humidity encourages mould and dust mites, while very dry air can irritate occupants and timber finishes.
Condensation
Bathroom Mould Prevention Guide
Showers release a large moisture load that settles on cold ceilings, grout, sealant and external walls when extraction is weak.
Condensation
Mould Behind Furniture: Causes and Fixes
Large wardrobes and sofas restrict warm room air from reaching cold external walls, creating a cool humid pocket behind them.
Condensation
Do Dehumidifiers Stop Mould?
A dehumidifier removes airborne moisture but does not repair leaks, failed extraction or severe thermal bridges.
Leaks & Water Damage
Ten Signs of a Hidden Water Leak
Concealed pipe leaks may show as a rising bill, boiler pressure loss, warm floor patch, musty smell or isolated staining.
Leaks & Water Damage
How Non-Destructive Leak Detection Works
Opening floors and walls at random increases repair costs and can still miss a small intermittent leak.
Leaks & Water Damage
What to Do About a Ceiling Water Stain
A ceiling stain can come from plumbing, a shower seal, roof covering, condensation in a void or an old inactive incident.
Leaks & Water Damage
Washing Machine Leak Damage
Supply hoses, waste connections and door seals can release enough water to track beneath cabinets and adjoining floors.
Leaks & Water Damage
Drying a Home After a Flood
Water can remain beneath flooring, inside insulation and at wall bases long after visible surfaces appear dry.
Leaks & Water Damage
Escape of Water Insurance Claims
Most policies distinguish the sudden escape of water from the cost of repairing the failed pipe or gradual deterioration.
Buying & Selling
Why Get a Damp Survey Before Buying?
A general survey may flag moisture but rarely has enough time or specialist equipment to establish the precise source and repair scope.
Buying & Selling
Selling a House With Damp
Fresh paint without diagnosis can increase buyer concern when survey readings reveal moisture beneath the finish.
Buying & Selling
Damp Survey Cost Guide
Survey prices vary with property size, access, testing depth, reporting and whether timber or below-ground areas are included.
Buying & Selling
Reading Damp Notes in a Homebuyer Report
Phrases such as high meter readings or obtain specialist advice identify risk but do not by themselves diagnose rising damp.
Guides
How to Prepare for a Damp Survey
Blocked access and recently cleaned or repainted surfaces can hide patterns that help a surveyor reach the right conclusion.
Guides
Gutter Maintenance to Prevent Damp
Overflowing gutters repeatedly saturate masonry, window heads and foundations, causing internal marks far from the obvious blockage.
Guides
How to Ventilate Your Home in Winter
Keeping every opening closed retains moisture from cooking, bathing, laundry and breathing even when the home feels warm.
Not sure what is causing your damp?
Book an independent survey and get a written answer — including if no damp proofing is needed.