Dampness! Oh no!

So last summer unfortunately was overtaken by solving some dampness issues in our new house.

Over our first winter, we found that we were getting damp patches on all our outermost walls and initially we were very worried.

Luckily for us, we found that it was due to the previous owner using pond liner as weed liner. This was causing water to sit against the house after it had rained instead of draining away from the house. :(

We fixed the damp and then did some extra prevention work in the following ways.

1. First we dug up and re-lay the pond-liner to direct the water away from the house:

Most importantly:

• Ensuring that the mud/earth did not sit higher than the liner against the house.
• Ensuring that the liner sloped down away from the house and that there was somewhere for the water to go.

2. I painted all the outer walls with damp-proof paint (on the inside of the house).

3. I re-sealed all of the windows and doors as some of the sealant had come away.

... And I am very pleased to say, winter 2016 has been damp-free! :)

Additional note:
If you are having trouble with damp, I did a lot of looking into various ways to prevent it and here are the things to look for or change:

1. Ensure that there is no earth directly against the brickwork of your house. At the base of every wall on the outside will be a cement border. Nothing should be above this line that can collect water (including decking or patio). If there is, you can either remove it or, if it is something easy like earth, you can put something waterproof between the house and the earth, like the pond lining above.
2. Always open the windows and close the door to the rest of the house when showering, bathing or cooking on the hob. You should leave the window open for up to 20 minutes afterwards if possible to prevent condensation from hanging around.
3. If you are redecorating, I recommend getting a tub of damp-proof paint to paint the inside of each outer wall (and the border of the adjoining walls for good measure) and you can get these in white too which is then a nice base coat for a colour. :)
4. This one may seem obvious but make sure all your windows and doors are adequately sealed!