Walcot Heritage

Home
Walcot Heritage

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Walcot Heritage, Construction Company, .

21/10/2023

Hiding the issue rather than tackling the building defect which will most likely be either blocked or missing sub floor ventilation or an escape of water, more than likely a cracked drain!

But solving those issues aren't as profitable for damp proofing scammers!

18/10/2023

When we find signs of rising damp on internal walls our first thoughts are always escape of water, potentially from underground drainage, or in this case, a leaking central heating pipe.

Ditch the damp meter scammers and seek out a surveyor that will diagnose the actual cause of the dampness, rather than just plastering over it.

Here we're using a pipe and cable scanner to locate heating pipes within the wall.

18/10/2023

Your chimney crown, sometimes referred to as flinching, weatherproofs the top of your chimney stack whilst also holding your pots in place.

The movement in this chimney stack was caused by poor workmanship in the original construction and the incorrect application of cement pointing at a later date.

Is your chimney in need of some TLC? Call us today for a free survey and quotation.

18/10/2023

Witnessing the updraught of the chimney as we cut into the slate that will support the new crown. If it pulls air through like this on a warm autumn day, can you imagine the full updraught of a roaring fire?!

Maintaining airflow through your chimney stack is vitally important if you wish to achieve a warm and dry home.

18/10/2023

There's only one benefit to damp proofing a heritage property, and that's to the installer's bank account!

Imagine the damage done to this listed building, heartbreaking!

20/09/2023

Have you been cold-called regarding the removal of your spray foam insulation?

It is very common for spray foam installers to sell their client lists to other companies who reach out to 'warn homeowners about the danger of spray foam'.

Whilst removing the foam they purposely damage the roof membrane, forcing the homeowner to pay for a reroof.

Contact us today for a free site survey and quotation.

31/08/2023

Penetrating damp or blocked gutters?

The reason I ask.. is because most timber and damp surveyors diagnose rising damp without evidencing the source of the issue!

Penetrating damp = symptom
Blocked gutters = cause

No need for nasty damp proofing systems here!

30/08/2023

Flue liner fitment with ventilation

30/08/2023

Flue lining and condensation issues
The fitment of a flue liner can restrict airflow through a chimney and reduce or fully eliminate the naturally occurring updraught that reduces the potential for condensation forming within the stack.

Condensation forming within a chimney can present as dripping (black) water within a fireplace or can also mobilise hygroscopic salts within masonry, that present on internal chimney breasts as damp or wet patches.

At least one chimney pot should be left open, and where this is not possible, vented steel spacers can be fitted beneath the vented cowl to allow airflow through the chimney pot.

Vented cowls are both fine to use and recommend. The issue being highlighted only occurs when a flue liner is connected to the cowl base, effectively sealing the rest of the chimney and preventing updraught.

18/08/2023

The below screen shot of a 'damp report' shows how moisture meters are fraudulently used to quantify elevated moisture levels within a building and falsely evidence the requirement for an internal damp proofing system.

The meter is being directly placed over a patch of hygroscopic salts (evidenced in other images), which are electrically conductive and provide a false positive reading, as can black ash and many other building materials and contaminants.

The only legal way to quantify 'rising damp' is by applying the methodology laid out in BRE DIGEST 245. This is well documented in the British Standard, BS 6576, BS 5250.

The document provided by this surveyor should be considered a quotation and not a quantified report evidencing the presence or absence of damp within a building and where present, its root cause.

The report briefly mentions potential roof and chimney leaks as well as failed pointing - and their solution.... a damp proof coarse in a solid granite and earth wall which will be completely ineffective and a full cavity drainage system (tanking) - the equivalent of putting up an umbrella inside the house to mask a leaking roof.

12/08/2023

Damp rafters caused by two installation defects:

1: The roof tiles were fitted without the correct overlap, rain is now being forced under the tiles and onto the newly installed roofing felt.

2: Rainwater now moves down the felt and becomes trapped due to the lack of a 15mm drape (BS 5534) between the
rafters. The rainwater is then pushed sideways towards the
batten nail holes, hence the rafter’s moisture content reaching complete saturation.

The installer and an independent surveyor claimed that this was condensation.

Is your heritage home showing symptoms of damp? Nine times out of ten there is a building defect causing the issue that can be rectified without the need for spending thousands of pounds on chemical band aids that simply mask the root cause.

10/08/2023

Spray foam devastation. This Grade ll listed building will now require an additional £25k worth of remedial work!
Please avoid spray foam insulation at all costs.

Image credit: Centre For Conservation Studies

10/08/2023

Would you believe that this pointing was completed by one of our clients with just a little support from us?!

Out with the failing cement and in with the coarse lime putty for this incredibly beautiful heritage home.

Do you have a lime built cottage that needs some TLC? Get in touch today for a free site survey and quotation.

10/08/2023

Damp basics - gutters!
An overflowing downpipe can cause horrendous penetrative damp.

Over a prolonged period of time water gets in behind the pointing and pushes the mortar out as it freezes, further compounding the issue.

10/08/2023

Rising damp?
Or a blocked drain?!
Rising damp is only ever a symptom of a building defect. Masonry will draw water via capillary action, but only if it's sat in sodden earth.
Moisture may also be collecting beneath your home, evaporating and condensating within your walls and floors.
Fix the defect, remove the moisture, watch the rising damp disappear.
Top tip: if a damp proofing company diagnoses rising damp ask them to explain the actual cause.
Broken drain?
Leaking or blocked gutters?
Raised ground levels?
Poor surface water drainage?
Breached damp proof course?
Cement render run to the ground?
It's never just 'rising damp'.

10/08/2023

Lovely day 🌞 for a bit of horse haired lime!
Traditionally taken from horses and goats, body hair only, not tails or mane.
Mostly used in backing coats for renders and plasters as it increases strength and reduces shrinkage.
We find it super useful for chimney flaunching and window reveals where thicker applications of lime tend to crack during their initial set.

09/08/2023

We are often asked to survey chimney stacks for potential leaks due to staining appearing on internal chimney breasts.

What you have here are hygroscopic salts, which pull moisture from the air and are incredibly common in fireplaces.

Hygroscopic salts can be introduced to fireplace masonry in multiple ways, here are the two most common..

The first is via rising damp as salts can be drawn up with ground water through capillary action, however, rising damp is only ever a symptom of some form of building defect and is incredibly uncommon.

The second, which is the case for 99% of our surveys, is that these salts were introduced via the burning of solid fuels.

Ideally that paint needs to be removed so that evaporation can take place and the salts can then be simply wiped off.

09/08/2023

Before we start to introduce unneeded chemicals or damp prevention apparatus such as Positive Input Ventilation systems, it might be best to first study the air quality within our home.

The small, white measuring device pictured is a mechanical thermohygrometer that can be bought online for less than 3 pounds. We leave one of these at every property we survey, purely so that the owner can broadly measure the humidity (air trapped water vapour) of the air inside their home.

However, typically, condensation can be caused by brief but intense spikes in humidity, the most common culprits being showers or extended periods of cooking. By far the best way to measure these peaks is with the use of a more modern, digital thermohygrometer, as pictured right.

Not only does this device provide you with second by second reporting of the relative humidity within a room, but it also details the temperature at which water will start to condensate on a surface.

In this example you can see that the room temperature is 23.1°C, relative humidity is at 55% (which is very good) and dew point (condensation starting to form) would be achieved at just 13°C.
Rather than addressing the symptoms of condensation, I’m sure you will agree that it is undoubtedly better to address the actual cause.

Kitchens and bathrooms should be well ventilated, wet clothes should not be dried indoors, tumble driers should be vented externally and both underfloor and attic spaces should be inspected to ensure their relative ventilation systems are functioning correctly.

09/08/2023

Slate roof construction in Congresbury.
Besides its obvious beauty, it also has an extended lifespan when compared to clay or cement tiles - typically lasting twice as long at 75-100 years

09/08/2023

3 visual checks for your home's chimney..

Have a look at the top of the stack – can you see any chimney pots present? if not they may have been removed and not capped off – does the crown (their cement base) look intact? Is there any cement missing or any large cracks?

Now run your eye down the stack, looking for any obvious failures in the pointing, (missing pieces of the mortar that bonds the brickwork together). The pointing should be in good condition to prevent penetrating dampness and to shed rainwater down the surface of the bricks (or stone) and away onto the roof.

Next, stand directly in line with the stack in front of the chimney and see if it leans. Whilst some misalignment may be acceptable due to prevailing winds, even a slight lean may signal a defect with the roof below or the condition of the brickwork.

If you have any worries please do contact us for a free roof survey

09/08/2023

We have to admit that this is one of our favourite services. It's incredibly rewarding work, watching these heritage homes come back to their beautiful best.

Bath Stone cleaning in Bristol.

Address

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Walcot Heritage posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Videos

Witnessing the updraught of the chimney as we cut into the slate that will support the new crown. If it pulls air through like this on a warm autumn day, can you imagine the full updraught of a roaring fire?! Maintaining airflow through your chimney stack is vitally important if you wish to achieve a warm and dry home.

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Engineering Company?

Country:

City:

21/10/2023

18/10/2023

18/10/2023

18/10/2023

18/10/2023

20/09/2023

31/08/2023

30/08/2023

30/08/2023

18/08/2023

12/08/2023

10/08/2023

10/08/2023

10/08/2023

10/08/2023

10/08/2023

09/08/2023

09/08/2023

09/08/2023

09/08/2023

09/08/2023

Address

Website

Alerts

Videos

Shortcuts

Share