Service
Penetrating damp treatment in North Somerset
Penetrating damp is a plumbing-and-weather problem before it's a plastering problem. We trace where the water gets in, stop it there, then make good inside.
Where the water gets in
Penetrating damp is water tracking through the building fabric from outside. On the exposed, weather-facing walls common on the Somerset coast (Weston-super-Mare seafront properties, Clevedon and Portishead hillsides) it’s a frequent problem. Usual entry points:
- Eroded or cracked mortar joints, especially on south-westerly elevations
- Cracked, hollow or painted-over render holding water against the wall
- Failed roof coverings, slipped tiles, and cracked chimney flaunching
- Defective lead flashing at abutments, parapets and chimney stacks
- Blocked or leaking gutters, downpipes and hopper heads
- Perished mastic around window and door frames
- Spalled or porous bricks after years of frost damage
Finding it, not guessing at it
Internal staining rarely sits directly behind the external defect, water runs along mortar beds, cavity ties and timber before it shows. Our survey combines:
- External inspection of the elevation, roofline and rainwater goods
- Drone footage of high-level brickwork, flashing and chimneys
- Moisture mapping of the internal wall to trace the track back to source
- Thermal imaging to show the wet path spreading behind the plaster
Putting it right
- Stop the ingress. Repointing, render repair, flashing and sealant replacement, gutter and downpipe repairs, or coordinating a roofer for larger works.
- Let the wall dry. We’ll advise how long to leave it and whether a breathable coating helps on an exposed elevation.
- Make good inside. Re-plaster or apply a damp-resistant membrane only where the plaster is beyond saving.
Prolonged penetrating damp around joist ends and roof timbers leads to wet rot, so it’s worth acting on early.
Where we treat penetrating damp
Common questions
How is penetrating damp different from rising damp?
Penetrating damp comes in through the wall from outside and can appear at any height, often on upper floors, chimney breasts and around windows. Rising damp comes up from the ground and stays low. Penetrating damp also tends to get noticeably worse after wind-driven rain. See our guide.
Do you need scaffolding to find the source?
Usually not. Our drone roof survey lets us inspect ridge tiles, flashing, chimney flaunching and high-level pointing close-up without scaffold hire, which keeps the diagnosis quick and the cost down.
Can you fix the outside defect as well as the inside?
Yes: repointing, render repairs, replacing failed sealant and flashing, and clearing or realigning gutters and downpipes. Major roof works we’ll refer to a roofer and coordinate with them.
Think you have penetrating damp trouble?
Call or request a callback and we'll arrange a proper look at the problem.