Damp surveys in Dewsbury: from a Dewsbury firm
A free damp survey for homes in Dewsbury. We inspect the walls inside and out, take readings with a professional damp meter and explain what is causing the damp, with a fixed price in writing if work is needed.
Looking for treatment and remedial work? View our core Dewsbury damp proofing & replastering services.
What a damp survey in Dewsbury covers
Three kinds of damp look alike on a wall and need three different fixes, so nothing is quoted until we know which one you have.
A visual inspection. We look at the damp where it shows, then at what is behind it: ground levels against the outside wall, gutters and downpipes, pointing, render and air bricks.
Damp meter readings. Readings with a professional damp meter show how wet the wall is and how far the moisture has spread, so any quote covers the areas that need it and no more.
A straight answer. We explain the cause in plain English. If work is needed you get a fixed price in writing, and if nothing needs doing, we say so. More on the damp survey itself.
For the treatment and remedial work itself, see our main damp proofing in Dewsbury page.
What we look for in Dewsbury's older houses
A large share of Dewsbury's housing went up in the mill years, before cavity walls and before damp proof courses were reliable. Stone-fronted terraces and solid 9-inch brick are common in Earlsheaton, Westtown, Savile Town and Ravensthorpe, with later brick semis and estates in places like Dewsbury Moor and Chickenley. The age and build of the house changes what we look for on a survey.
- Solid stone and brick walls No cavity to keep rain out, and an original damp proof course of slate or bitumen, if there is one at all. Slate cracks as a house settles and moisture finds the gap. Low tide marks and salts on the plaster are the usual sign. Rising damp treatment.
- Ground levels raised over the years Paths, yards and flagged fronts relaid higher than the damp proof course, or render carried down past it, give moisture a way round. The wall reads damp inside even though the damp proof course is sound, so the outside is checked before anything is injected.
- Houses built into the hillside On streets that step up a slope, the back wall of a ground-floor room or cellar can sit below the ground behind it. That is water pushing in sideways, not rising damp, and it needs below-ground waterproofing, not an injected damp proof course. Basement tanking.
- Suspended timber floors Air bricks blocked by raised paths or debris leave the space under the floor damp and still, which rots joist ends where they sit in the wall. Rotten floor joists.
- Cement over stone Hard cement pointing and render on sandstone hold water in the wall where lime would let it dry out, so the damp shows on the inside face. Penetrating damp treatment.
- Later cavity-wall houses In interwar and post-war houses the cause is more often condensation, or debris bridging the cavity, than a failed damp proof course. Ventilation is usually the fix. Condensation control.
Which parts of Dewsbury we cover
We cover Dewsbury and the area around it, including the WF12 and WF13 postcodes. Nearby, we also work in Ravensthorpe, Hanging Heaton, Batley, Heckmondwike and Ossett. See all the areas we cover.
Surveys are free wherever you are in that area, there is no charge for coming out, and we are contactable seven days a week between 6am and 10pm. If you are just outside it, ask anyway and we will tell you straight away.
Dewsbury is where we are based, so a survey here is easy to arrange.
Google reviews from our customers are on our reviews page.
Dewsbury damp survey questions
Do you cover all of Dewsbury?
Yes. We cover the WF12 and WF13 postcodes, and Ravensthorpe, Hanging Heaton, Batley, Heckmondwike and Ossett nearby. If you are on the edge of the area, send us your postcode and we will confirm straight away.
What happens during a damp survey?
We look at the damp where it shows, then test the walls with a damp meter. We explain what is causing the problem in plain English and what would fix it, and give you a fixed price in writing if work is needed.
A homebuyer survey has flagged damp. Can you look at it?
Yes. Tell us what the report says when you get in touch. We test the walls with a damp meter, find what is causing the readings and give a fixed price in writing for any work that is needed.
Are you based in Dewsbury?
Yes. Dewsbury is our base, and we work out from here across West Yorkshire.
Book a free damp survey in Dewsbury
Tell us what you have noticed and we will arrange a visit at a time that suits you. Use the form, or pick whichever of these is easier.
- We get back to you Within one working day.
- We survey, free Damp meter readings, and we tell you what is causing it.
- You get a fixed price In writing, with no obligation.