Damp Proofing Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead has two very different sides. The Old Town along the High Street keeps timber framed and Georgian buildings, and Boxmoor and the streets near the station have Victorian terraces. Most of the town, though, was built after it was designated a New Town in 1947, with neighbourhoods such as Adeyfield, Bennetts End, Grovehill and Leverstock Green laid out in the 1950s and 1960s.

The town sits where the River Gade and the River Bulbourne meet, with the Grand Union Canal running through Boxmoor and Apsley. The valley floors have gravel and alluvium with a high water table, while the higher ground is chalk capped with clay with flints that holds water near the surface. Homes in the valleys, especially near the rivers and canal, are more exposed to ground moisture.

In the Old Town, buildings have solid walls of brick, flint or timber frame with lime mortar and no original damp proof course. Cement render, cement pointing and modern plaster added over the years often trap moisture and cause damp that the original construction would have let dry out.

Boxmoor's Victorian terraces have solid brick walls and suspended timber floors. The usual problems are bridged damp proof courses, damp floor voids from blocked air bricks, wet rot in joists and penetrating damp from worn pointing and gutters.

The New Town houses are a different story. Most have cavity walls and solid concrete ground floors. Common faults include failed or bridged damp proof membranes in the floor, damp proof courses bridged by raised patios and paths, cavity wall insulation carrying water across the cavity, and cold spots around concrete lintels and window frames.

Some of the early post war homes were built using non traditional methods, with concrete panels or frames. These need careful assessment, because damp and condensation in these buildings often relate to the structure itself rather than to rising damp.

Condensation and black mould are some of the most common problems we see in Hemel, particularly in post war houses and flats with replacement windows, poor extraction and cold external walls. The fix is usually ventilation and heating improvements rather than damp proofing.

Timber is worth watching in the older homes too. Damp left in suspended floor voids in the Old Town and Boxmoor can cause wet rot in joists and skirtings, and occasionally dry rot where damp has been ignored for years. We check floor voids and sub floor ventilation on every survey so any rot is found early.

We also work for landlords and housing providers across the town. Our reports separate rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation clearly, so it is obvious what is causing the problem and what needs to be done to fix it.

Because damp in Hemel Hempstead can come from the ground, the building or the way it is used, the survey always comes first. Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors take moisture readings, use thermal imaging where it helps, and check drainage, pointing, ground levels and ventilation before recommending anything. You get a written report with photos that explains the cause in plain language and sets out the fix, with no obligation.

We cover HP1, HP2 and HP3, including the Old Town, Boxmoor, Apsley, Adeyfield, Bennetts End, Grovehill, Highfield, Leverstock Green and Warners End. Surveys are arranged from our office at 58 Western Road, Tring, a short drive away.