Damp

DAMP

If you do not require a guarantee, you can damp-proof an old house yourself. The process is relatively simple. Drill holes in brickwork at about the third or fourth row above the ground, and pump the waterproofing material into the brickwork.

Foil-backed plasterboard linings inside a solid outside wall helps reduce condensation. It can be bonded directly to the wall or mounted on wooden battens first.

If there is no deep groove under external wooden windowsills or doorframes, moisture will run into the wall off the sills. If yours do not have the groove present, fasten a thin piece of hardwood underneath the sill in the middle, to run most of the length of the sill. Treat and paint it, then moisture will drip from this instead of dampening the wall.

Drying an external wall from the inside by heating the room inside the wall is not very useful as it masks the outcome of any external remedial work you may have done. It is much better to let it dry naturally.

Damp in wardrobes can be alleviated by putting vents in the top and bottom of the side panels of the wardrobe to let air circulate. If the problem is the usual one of a damp patch on a nearby wall, polystyrene veneer can be applied to the walls to keep the cold wall separate to the warmth in the room. The veneer can be wallpapered.