The impermeable chalk barrier, bridging of DPC, possibility of leakage from gully. What else is common amongst damp Medway properties?
Location. Specifically the undulating landscape that encompasses all of Medway. Whilst not a problem in itself, properties are divided by being either on a hill, on top of the hill or at the bottom. This may sound simplistic in the extreme but the effect on properties can be substantial.
Properties built at the bottom of a gradient are on ground with an elevated moisture content. Where breach or bridging of DPC has occurred, problems will be exacerbated as a result. On a severe gradient, DPC will invariably have been bridged somewhere on perimeter.
The location at which a property is most affected is surprisingly toward the top of a gradient.
Above: A highly exposed parapet. Rendered and waterproofed.
But I thought if you’re at the top of a hill, you haven’t any risk of flooding ?
That’s very true. However, flooding isn’t the issue here. It’s exposure. Rain, wind, the elements.