In Old Swan, L13, most damp and mould calls come from two types of home: Victorian and Edwardian terraces with solid brick walls, and inter-war semis. Both suffer from condensation in winter, but terraces are also prone to damp low on the walls and in back extensions, while semis tend to show mould on the exposed side wall and in upstairs rooms. We visit, take readings, find out which problem you actually have and quote in writing for fixing it.
Terrace or semi: which pattern looks like yours?
The age and build of the house change where moisture collects. This is a rough guide to what we see most often in Old Swan homes:
| Home | Where damp or mould usually appears | Most likely cause |
|---|---|---|
| Victorian or Edwardian terrace | Back bedroom walls, bathroom in the rear extension, low on ground-floor walls | Condensation on cold solid walls; sometimes bridged damp proof course or a leaking downpipe |
| Inter-war semi | Gable wall, bedroom corners, window reveals, ceilings under the loft | Condensation on the coldest surfaces; patchy loft insulation |
| Either | A patch that grows after heavy rain | Water getting in from outside, such as gutters, pointing or a cracked sill |
The table is a starting point, not a diagnosis. Plenty of homes have more than one problem at once, which is why we look at the whole house rather than just the stained wall.
Why solid walls in older terraces feel cold
A pre-1919 terrace usually has 9-inch solid brick walls with no cavity. They stay colder than modern walls through winter, so the inside surface drops below the dew point more easily. Add a shower, cooking and washing drying on an airer, and you get black speckled mould along the top of the wall or behind the wardrobe. Our page on condensation control explains how ventilation and steady heat work together to stop it.
Many terraces here also have a back extension holding the kitchen or bathroom. These small rooms have three outside walls, a flat or shallow roof and a lot of steam, so they are often the worst room in the house. A properly sized fan matters: Approved Document F asks for 15 litres per second from a bathroom extract fan, and plenty of older fans fall well short. We cover that in detail on our extractor fan installation page.
When a tide mark is not rising damp
A stain about knee height with white salts on the plaster looks like classic rising damp, and it sometimes is. Just as often in L13 the damp proof course has been bridged by a raised path, rendered over or buried under soil in the yard. A downpipe spilling onto the wall can produce the same mark. We check outside before recommending anything, because clearing a bridged course or fixing a leak is a much smaller job than injection and replastering. Where treatment is needed, our rising damp treatment page sets out what is involved.
What happens when you call
- We ask which rooms are affected, how long it has been going on, whether it is worse in winter, and whether you own or rent.
- We visit, take moisture and humidity readings, check fans and trickle vents, and look outside at gutters, downpipes and ground levels.
- We explain the cause in plain English and send a written quote.
- Mould is cleaned and treated, damaged materials replaced where necessary, and the cause dealt with.
If anyone in the home has asthma or another breathing problem, please mention it when you call, and speak to your GP or NHS 111 about any symptoms.
Nearby areas
Old Swan sits between Kensington and West Derby, with Wavertree just to the south, and the terraces in all three share many of the same problems. For the full range of what we do, see our damp and mould treatment in Liverpool, or read more about how a local damp and mould specialist works out the cause before anything is quoted.
Mould back again in your Old Swan home?
Call 07777 659786 and tell us which rooms are affected. We will call back and arrange a visit.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the mould always in the same bedroom corner?
Corners where two outside walls meet are usually the coldest surfaces in a room, so moist air condenses there first. Furniture pushed against them makes it worse because warm air cannot reach the wall. Moving the furniture a few centimetres away helps, but if it keeps coming back the room probably needs better ventilation or steadier background heat.
My survey says rising damp. Should I get it injected straight away?
Not before the cause is confirmed. In older L13 terraces, raised paths, render taken down over the damp proof course or a leaking downpipe can all produce a low tide mark. We check those first. If a chemical damp proof course is genuinely needed, we explain why and quote in writing.
Is it worth fitting a PIV unit in a terraced house?
It can be, where the main problem is condensation and the house has a loft for the unit. A positive input ventilation unit pushes filtered air in and dilutes moist air, but it does nothing for leaks or rising damp, so we only suggest one once the cause is clear.
Do you cover the streets between Old Swan and Broadgreen?
Yes. We work right across L13 and the surrounding districts of east Liverpool. When you call, tell us roughly where you are and what you have noticed, and we will arrange a visit at a time that suits you.
Can you write something up for my landlord?
Yes. After the visit we can give you written notes with photos describing what we found, the likely cause and the work we recommend, which you can pass to your landlord or letting agent.