Damp prevention beats cure. It’s especially true as the cold, dark and wet winter months creep closer. For homeowners in Kent, this is especially true. Their properties endure frequent temperature swings and moisture shifts.
As temperatures drop and wet, cold weather moves in from the north, keeping your home dry becomes harder. If you ignore it, the cost can climb quickly. So it’s worth taking some time now to prepare your property.
But for many, the question is, where do we start? What am I looking for, and what do I do if I find a problem? Well, our expert team is here to help. They’ve created a handy checklist. It includes DIY actions you can take to protect your property.
And if you are not sure, our damp specialists are here to help. With decades of experience and consistently high customer feedback scores, we are one of the leading damp proofing suppliers in Kent.
Here’s our 11-point damp prevention plan to help you prepare your home and reduce winter damp risks. We’ve included a DIY option, as well as when it’s time to as a professional. To download the guide, simply click here.
1. Guttering and Drainage
Take a moment to inspect your property to ensure that all your drainpipes and gutters are clear of leaves and other debris. While this is never a pleasant task, it can be helpful to brave the elements during a heavy downpour and assess if your drains are in full working order.
Blocked gutters or pipes can overflow. That raises the risk of penetrating damp, which can damage your home’s interior. You’ll often see tide marks on your wall, signs that water has penetrated the masonry and affected your decor.
DIY: Clear all leaves and other debris from gutters and downpipes. Remove any blockages.
Professional: High-level gutter cleaning, repair, or replacement of damaged gutters or downpipes. They can also provide professional clearance of any underground drainage.
2. Roof Inspection
If possible, inspect your roof or hire an expert to assess it. You are on the lookout for any missing or damaged tiles. Rain or snow can slip through roof gaps. Moisture then trickles into your property, creating perfect conditions for penetrating damp.
DIY: Conduct a ground-level inspection using binoculars to identify broken or missing roof tiles.
Professional: Undertake a full roof inspection, replacing tiles and performing any structural repairs.
Timeframe: Review your roof around September/October so there is still the chance of repairs before the bad weather sets in.
3. Window and Door Seals
Walk around your windows and doors. Check each seal carefully. Look for wear, tear or gaps. Even small openings can let cold air or moisture in. This will inevitably lead to condensation or dampness.
An ongoing build-up of condensation will start to present as black mould. This is not a healthy situation and can lead to further complications. While some people attempt to tackle the problem by temporarily removing the black mould, it will return if the source of the issue is not addressed.
DIY: A simple visual inspection. Introduce a draft excluder or replace any damaged seals around the window frames.
Professional: Perform double-glazing repairs. Fix structural seal failures or frame adjustments.
Timeframe: Around October and ongoing monthly checks during the winter months.
4. External Walls
Again, if possible, take a tour of the outside of your building, looking at your external walls. Be on the lookout for any cracks or holes in the walls that require repair. Any weakness in your walls can be attacked by rainwater. If your walls are weak and your gutters or drainage are blocked, penetrating damp can develop.
If you can’t repair this immediately, bring in an expert to help, but don’t leave it all winter, as it will only get worse.
DIY: Perform a visual inspection for small cracks and implement basic pointing repairs on minor cracks.
Professional: Structural crack assessment, major repointing, cavity wall issues.
Timeframe: Around September/October and after any frost periods. A spring check is essential, too.
5. Ventilation
Proper ventilation and good airflow around your property are crucial to preventing dampness. If you have them, ensure the extractor fans in your kitchen and bathrooms operate effectively. It may be a case in which you need to install air bricks or vents to increase the airflow.
DIY: Clean your extractor fan covers, and check the fans are working. Also, perform a basic vent clearance.
Professional: Install new air bricks. Deliver extractor fan or mechanical ventilation systems replacement.
Timeframe: Preparatory work in September, with ongoing winter monitoring.
6. Damp Proof Course
Most properties across the UK will have a damp-proof course (DPC) installed, a protective barrier that prevents water rising from the ground from entering your interior walls. DPCs should have a life span of between 20 and 30 years. However, if there have been changes to the outside of your property, such as a raised flower bed or an adapted driveway, then your DPC might have been compromised.
The main indicator that there is an issue with your damp proof course is rising damp. Rising damp is the movement of water from the ground upwards, through the masonry in your walls, showing up as tide marks on your wallpaper or paint.
Therefore, it is essential to know when your DPC was installed. And to keep an eye out for any signs of rising damp, as this may indicate that it has been compromised. At this stage, it would be worthwhile to bring in a specialist to put your mind at ease or to provide you with a solution.
DIY: Do a visual check for obvious bridging with soil or plants against walls.
Professional: Perform a Damp Proof Course (DPC) assessment and look for structural bridging issues. Implement a chemical DPC installation,
Timeframe: Annual autumn check and after any landscaping work
7. Plumbing
This may take investigation, and you will likely need to dig out that torch from the spare cupboard, but check out the plumbing around your house. You are looking for leaks at the apparent intersections and taps where weaknesses may be.
Many of these can go unseen under the floorboards or in cupboards, but they provide the perfect conditions for dampness to flourish.
DIY: Check visible pipes, taps, and radiator valves for drips.
Professional: Performing under-floor investigations, investigating concealed pipe work, and fixing any major leak repairs.
Timeframe: From October, and then obviously, immediate attention to any discovered leaks.
8. Flooring
Assess the flooring and skirting boards around your property. You are looking for signs of dampness or rot that could signify a more severe problem behind. You are on the lookout for flaking paint and warped or bubbling flooring.
Very often, the damp problem manifesting itself in a warped skirting or bubbling wallpaper, if left unchecked, can then go on to affect timber in your property. The damp conditions are ideal for wet or dry rot to take hold, eating away at the structural properties of your wood. This can create structural problems for your property that need to be addressed.
DIY: Conduct a visual inspection of the skirting boards, looking for floor damage, and assess the condition of your paint.
Professional: Any subfloor moisture assessments, structural timber treatment, or major repairs required.
Timeframe: Perform a September check and a spring follow-up after winter.
9. Basement/Crawlspace
If you’ve got a basement or crawlspace, ensure it’s ventilated and waterproofed. That prevents moisture build-up. These underground spaces are the perfect breeding ground for wet and dry rot to attack your timber.
DIY: Perform a visual inspection where safely accessible, check that ventilation isn’t blocked.
Professional: Deliver a complete moisture assessment, as well as any waterproofing installation, and structural ventilation.
Timeframe: Check in early autumn, with a mid-winter check if accessible.
10. Condensation
As temperatures fall, ensure areas with high moisture, such as bathrooms and kitchens, have good airflow. That reduces condensation. As previously mentioned, condensation is often at the heart of larger problems. It will lead to black mould, which can have more profound consequences.
DIY: You can monitor humidity levels, improve your ventilation habits, and wipe down condensation.
Professional: They can assess ventilation adequacy and install humidity control systems.
Timeframe: This requires ongoing daily management during the winter months.
11. Heating
Maintaining a consistent temperature around your property is vital as this helps reduce the chances of condensation. You don’t need it to be too high, but fluctuations cause a build-up of moisture, leading to dampness.
DIY: Set consistent temperatures and manage basic thermostat settings.
Professional: Performing a heating system efficiency assessment and smart control installation.
Timeframe: October setup and consistent management throughout winter.
Damp Prevention Guide
Some of these measures can be easily implemented, but others might require a little assistance. However, making them a regular part of your property checks, both leading into and during winter, will help you avoid dampness this winter.
Speak to our team for more information, or download our guide.