Damp proofing in Lewes

Lewes is a historic market town, and its buildings are older and more varied than most of the coast: flint cottages, timber-framed houses, Georgian frontages and a great many listed buildings down the twittens and along the High Street. These need a careful, period-appropriate approach to damp, not a one-size-fits-all chemical fix.

Damp in old Lewes buildings

Old buildings were designed to breathe. They handle moisture through lime mortar, lime plaster and natural ventilation rather than modern barriers. Problems often start when someone has added cement render, gypsum plaster or plastic paint, which traps moisture in walls that were meant to let it out. The result looks like rising or penetrating damp, and the real fix is often to let the wall breathe again.

Genuine rising damp and penetrating damp do occur too, and the hillside, flint and timber construction around the town means timber decay such as wet rot and woodworm is worth checking wherever damp has taken hold.

Listed buildings and breathable treatment

A lot of Lewes property is listed, so the work must respect both the regulations and the building. We favour breathable, traditional methods over sealing and injecting, which can do more harm than good in lime-built and timber-framed homes.

If you’ve got damp in an older Lewes home, start with a survey from someone who understands period construction. Book a free survey and we’ll take a proper look.