Vault Damp and Rising Damp in a House on Prince Albert Road, Primrose Hill NW1
A house on Prince Albert Road in Primrose Hill had warped, saturated plaster in the ground floor front room where radiator pipework passed through the wall into a vault, and separate damp at the rear bay doors. The survey found two different causes.
Project at a Glance
The Brief
The owner had visible damp and warped plaster in the front room and at the rear doors and wanted to know whether it was one problem or two.
The Survey
In the ground floor front room, the plaster was saturated and warped around the radiator pipework where it passes through the wall into the vault. On the vault side of the same wall, readings of 18.4 percent were recorded with salt contamination on the surface.
At the rear bay doors, readings fell from 39.1 to 25 and then 19.6 percent with height, a profile consistent with moisture rising from ground level.
The surveyor diagnosed penetrating damp at the vault, caused by external ground water and made worse by poor detailing where the pipe passes through, and rising damp from the sub structure at the rear doors.
The Solution
Each cause was treated separately:
- Correct the detailing inside the vault and extend the pipe sleeve so water cannot track along the pipework.
- Install a chemical damp proof course in the failed area at the rear.
- Remove all sodden and warped plaster and apply the correct render and plaster, after the DPC was in place.
The Work
The work was carried out on 1 and 2 June 2026.
The Result
Treating the vault and the rear doors as two separate problems meant each got the right fix. Vaults under the pavement are common in the period houses around Primrose Hill and Camden, and pipe and cable entries are a frequent weak point. See our page on damp proofing in Camden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my vault damp?
Vaults sit below ground and are in contact with damp soil. Any gap where pipes or cables pass through, or poor detailing at joints, gives water an easy way in.
Can one house have more than one type of damp?
Yes. It is common to find penetrating damp in one area and rising damp in another, which is why each area is tested separately.
What does a moisture profile show?
Readings taken at different heights show where moisture is coming from. Readings that fall with height point to moisture rising from below.
Damp in a vault or cellar?
Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors find the real cause before recommending any work. Non-invasive survey with a clear written report. No obligation.
Project completed by Advanced Damp in Primrose Hill, NW1.
Sam Fitzgerald is the founder of Advanced Damp and a working damp and structural waterproofing surveyor diagnosing and treating moisture problems in residential and commercial properties across London and the South East. He is FODCS certified (a Federation of Damp Certified Surveyor) and a member of the Federation of Damp. His hands-on work covers rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, basement waterproofing to BS 8102, and thermal imaging surveys, and he has personally completed over 400 damp surveys across properties of every type and age. Everything he writes draws directly from jobs he has carried out. He does not write about treatments, products or causes he has not dealt with first-hand in the field.
