A new law came into force in England and Wales in 2025 that finally puts the responsibility for damp and Mould where it belongs — on landlords, not tenants. Here’s what you need to know. Why this matters Damp and Mould in the home is more than an inconvenience. It can trigger asthma, aggravate allergies,
In a masonry building, a ground-floor suspended timber floor is a very old way to create a dry, warm living environment in the United Kingdom, using naturally available materials, and it also provides a damp and thermal break from ground contact. The issue is that timber is not durable when kept in a damp environment;
I have investigated an increasing number of issues related to insulation, dampness, mould, and rot arising from improper workmanship and a failure to follow Building Standards or NHBC requirements in the new house roof void. In the new constructions, I have inspected the perimeter insulation. It was not installed in accordance with the NHBC or Building
Rising Damp refers to water that rises from the ground through a building’s masonry walls due to capillary rise dynamics. It can also result in wood rot in the abutting floor, damp walls, and masonry deterioration—more information from The Royal Society. This is the reason building regulations require a Damp Proof Course to be installed.
Water is a polar molecule, which makes DC-powered Electro-Osmosis Flow systems a highly effective method for removing water from a wall and returning it to the ground, such as in cases of rising damp. The problem it faces in engaging customers is its scientific approach. Builders dislike this approach because they prefer drilling holes and injecting
The church is on a small hill at the base of a valley and is exposed to strong wind gusts. Due to a lack of weather protection, the repair options were limited. The scaffold design limited access to some repair locations and could not serve as temporary support; therefore, all repairs had to be planned accordingly.
Timber Repairs to Crown of Thorns St Michaels Church, Linlithgow Read More »
The Siphon The damp siphon was supposed to cure dampness in a masonry wall. It’s a method proposed by Professor Achille Knapen, as a result of his research and experiments. In Paris, you can see the siphons on the external joints of significant historic buildings (see photos). The idea was introduced into the UK around 1919
These Rentokil plaques, from a 1960 damp-proof course system that did not work, are a mystery to some surveyors. They are often associated with 1960s damp-proof course systems. Many find the 1960 damp proof course system failure to be perplexing. The first thing to understand is that the above system is not a damp-proof course or
During a dampness inspection using a Flir Infrared thermal imaging camera and an MR77 damp meter. I found a long-term issue caused by an incorrectly installed insulation quilt in the roof void. This demonstrates the relationship between dampness and insulation. The property is a modern tenement building, circa 2000. Its pitched roof uses timber trusses lined with
The Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum) is a type of woodworm that belongs to the family Anobiidae. Despite its name, the term “common” with emphasis on ‘furniture’ is misleading, as this beetle primarily resides in the sapwood of structural and joinery timber. The larvae bore into the sapwood and then pupate into adult beetles. When
