Don’t ignore these 5 warning signs of damp in your home

If left to fester, damp becomes an increasingly bigger problem. Wet patches, mould growths and crumbling walls can all result in harm to both you and your home. 

Here are the warning signs to look for,, so you can catch any issues early then start to tackle them with damp reducing methods. 

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Immediate signs of damp 

The sooner you can identify and remove damp, the less chance it has to cause structural or health problems. 

Look out for these five key signs of damp:

1. Stained or dark, discoloured patches on ceilings, walls or floors. They might feel wet or smell musty. 
2. Growth of mould and mildew. This may be green, black or white and can cause or exacerbate health problems, particularly any related to respiratory issues.
3. Damp or musty smells, often in areas with poor ventilation. 
4. Peeling wallpaper, crumbling plaster or flaking paint, which can be caused by moisture trapped behind the material.
5. Structural damage. This could be rotten wood or a weakening of walls, floors or foundations. For example, floorboards might feel soft or spongy.

Different types of damp will require different solutions depending on their root cause. Reducing the humidity in your home is a good starting point - see more on how to do this below. You'll need to identify the cause of the damp to determine how to stop it from continuing, as well. 

Head to our guides to identify what type of damp is affecting your home and find out how to get rid of damp. 

Want to tackle damp straight away? Read our guide to the best dehumidifiers 

How to spot and test for damp issues

Sources of damp can be hidden throughout your home, but there are ways to see if water is either leaking into or throughout your property. 

A leaking gutter or drainpipe can pour water onto a wall and cause damp issues. Often, people don’t realise they have a gutter problem, as you don't usually spend a lot of time outside when it’s raining. 

If you suspect a problem, wait until a day with heavy rain and then stand outside and watch your gutters, downpipes and drains to see if there are any leaks. 

If you need repairs to your gutters or drains, use our Which? Trusted Traders service to find a trader you can rely on. 

If you've got unexplained damp patches on the walls or floors of your kitchen or bathroom, check to see if any plumbed-in fixtures or appliances, such as showers or dishwashers, have leaks.

Moisture meters, or moisture detectors, can be used to measure how much water is in a material. It can then tell you if there is an excess amount causing damage. 

They can be used on paper, wood, plasterboard or concrete.

Although it can’t tell you if mould is present, a moisture meter can be used to generally identify where mould and damp is more likely, due to excess water. You may then need to take more measures to remove damp, or call in a specialist. 

Find out how much it costs to repair damp in our comprehensive guide. Prices are supplied by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), using its Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) database.

Reducing damp problems

There are a number of different causes of - and types of - damp. The type you have will determine how serious the problem is and how to fix it. 

Head to our guide to the different types of damp to identify what you're dealing with. 

If you’ve spotted early signs of damp, act straight away to prevent it becoming a bigger problem. 

These three tips are a good way to start to reduce the build-up, spread and damage, and are sensible preventative measures for anyone to take in their home. 

1. Reduce moisture build-up

Try to avoid releasing excess moisture into the air in your home without good ventilation in place. Drying clothes inside, showering and cooking all release moisture into the air, which can create excess humidity and damp. While these are mostly unavoidable, you can reduce their effect by: 

• Drying clothes outside when possible
• Wiping excess water off walls after showering
• Using extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen - if you don't have one, always open a window when you're bathing, showering or cooking something that releases steam. 

2. Buy a dehumidifier

Many homes can benefit from a dehumidifier to extract excess humidity, especially through the winter. They're particularly useful if you often dry clothes indoors.

Dehumidifiers come in a range of capacities, from seven litres to as big as 40 litres. The model you will need depends on how large a space you have, how many people live in your home (as more people tend to mean more showers and more laundry), and how significant your damp problem is. 

Read our guide to the best dehumidifiers to choose the right model for your home.

3. Improve window ventilation

Even in the winter, make sure you open your windows regularly, particularly when cooking, washing up or showering. 

Keep windows clear of condensation, to prevent damage or mould development - if yours often get damp, wipe them down with a towel or a squeegee. 

Alternatively, try a window vacuum. Find out about the best window vacs in our dedicated guide. 

If damp is a persistent problem, you may find you need to improve your ventilation overall. Adding trickle vents to the top of window frames can be a worthwhile solution. 

While these three tips will stand you in good stead for warding off damp due to everyday moisture build-up, if you've got a serious problem you'll need to identify the root cause - which could be a structural issue - and you may need help getting it fixed. 

For further details on dealing with serious damp issues, such as damp-proof course treatments, read our guide on how to get rid of damp.