Control of Dampness

7 Prevention

With all buildings, good maintenance and care is essential to help control dampness. Prevention is better than cure. Good preventative maintenance, involving uncomplicated tasks such as clearing gutters and rainwater pipes, will restrain, or even obviate, the need for repairs in the first place, prevent the loss of original fabric and also be cost effective.

Moisture sensors and alarm systems can be installed to warn of excessive moisture conditions in building envelopes, especially in hidden or difficult-to-access areas.

8 References

In lnsall, DW, 1972, pl 10
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on The Need for Old Buildings to ‘Breathe’
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Roughcast
Further guidance on remediation work after natural flooding can be found in Pickles, 2015
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Fireplaces, Flues and Chimneys
Ibid
See SPAB advice on Colourless Water-Repellent Surface Treatments on Historic Masonry (forthcoming)
Hubbard, D, personal communication, 7 June 2018
Derived from Burkinshaw and Parrett, 2004, pp 105-117
Derived from Burkinshaw and Parrett, 2004, pl 17
After Coleman, G
The Building Regulations (Part L) allow for’special considerations’for traditionally constructed buildings where the application of standard solutions would cause unreasonable harm
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on The Need for Old Buildings to ‘Breathe’
See SPAB advice on Breathability and Old Buildings at: https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/breathability-and-old-buildings
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Fireplaces, Flues and Chimneys
Further guidance on dealing with damp towers can be found in English Heritage, 2013
See SPAB advice on Infill Panels for alternative materials to wattle and daub at: https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/infill-panels
Oakum can be obtained from boatyards
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Basic Limewash

Excavation may well reveal interesting or important archaeological evidence. In the case of important (or particularly old) buildings you should notify your local planning authority and county archaeologist before starting work. If you come across any such evidence during the course of the work you should notify the same authorities. In the case of a Church of England place of worship, a faculty will be required and the diocesan archaeological adviser should be involved

See SPAB advice on French Drains at: https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/french-drains
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Timber Frames and Roofs

See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Beeswax Polish

See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Chimneys, Flues and Fireplaces

See SPAB advice on Breathability and Old Buildings at: https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/breathability-and-old-buildings
See SPAB Technical Advice Note on Limewash

9 Other Advice

9.1 Contacts

Where work to old buildings is being considered, the SPAB may be able to suggest suitable specialists.

9.2 Further reading

Burkinshaw, Rand Parrett, M (2004) Diagnosing Damp, Coventry: RICS Business Services Burkinshaw, R (2009) Remedying Damp, Coventry: RICS Business Services Ltd

Coleman, G R Dampness and Condensation in Buildings: Course Notes, unpublished

English Heritage (2013) Damp Towers Conference. Available at: http://content.historicengland.org.uk/ content/docs/research/damp-towers-conf2013-programme-transcripts.pdf

Hughes, P (forthcoming) The Need for Old Buildings to ‘Breathe’, SPAB Technical Advice Note lnsall, D W (1972) The Care of Old Buildings Today: A Practical Guide, London: Architectural Press Kent, D (2018) French Drains. Available at:

https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/french-drains

Kent, D (2018) Infill Panels. Available at: https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/infill-panels

Massari, G and Massari, I (1993) Damp Buildings, Old and New, Rome: International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property

Pickles, D (2015) Flooding and Historic Buildings, 2nd edition. Available at: https://historicengland.org.uk/ images-books/publications/flooding-and-historic-buildings-2ednrev/

Schofield, J (forthcoming) Basic Limewash, SPAB Technical Advice Note Schofield, J (forthcoming) Beeswax Polish, SPAB Technical Advice Note

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (2016) Breathability and Old Buildings. Available at: https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/breathability-and-old-buildings

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (forthcoming) Chimneys, Flues and Fireplaces, SPAB Technical Advice Note

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (forthcoming) Colourless Water-Repellent Surface Treatments on Historic Masonry

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (forthcoming) Timber Frames and Roofs, SPAB Technical Advice Note

Townsend, A (forthcoming) Roughcast, SPAB Technical Advice Note

Trotman, P, Sanders, C and Harrison, H (2004) Understanding Dampness: Effects, Causes, Diagnosis and Remedies, Garston: HIS BRE Press

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) believes old buildings have a future. From cottages to castles and from churches to cathedrals we are here to help buildings and the people who care for them. Through our unique training schemes, courses, advice and research we help people put our expertise into practice.

Founded by William Morris in 1877, the SPAB was established in response to the work of Victorian architects whose enthusiasm for harmful restoration caused irreparable damage. Today the SPAB encour ages excellence in new design to enrich and complement the built historic environment. We train new generations of architectural professionals and building craftspeople to shape this landscape with sensitivity and skill, and we play a statutory role as adviser to local planning authorities. In our casework we campaign actively to protect old buildings at risk.

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First published in this form in 2018. This pamphlet draws on material contained in former Technical Pamphlet 8, written by Andrew Thomas, Gilbert Williams and Nicola Ashurst. Thanks for advice on the preparation of this document are due to: Philip Hughes, Caroline Rye, Joseph Orsi and David Alexander. © D Kent/SPAB 2018.

ISBN 978-1-898856-40-5

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