If you've spent more than five minutes researching damp, mould or woodworm problems online, you’ll know the feeling: confusion. Different companies tell you different things. Some say you’ve got rising damp. Others blame condensation or leaks. Nearly all of them recommend expensive and invasive treatments involving drilling, injecting chemicals and hacking off plaster. Yet somehow, none of them seem to offer real answers.
At Damp & Mould Control Ltd, we’re not interested in doing what everyone else does. We’ve been working in the damp proofing industry for over a decade, serving homes and businesses across Brentwood and beyond. And we’ve learned that solving damp properly means being thorough, honest and focused on long-term results.
We’re not here to sell you treatments you don’t need. We’re here to solve problems at the root. When we carry out a damp survey, we’re looking for three key things. Miss any one of them and you risk wasting time and money on work that doesn't help. Here's what we're always looking for—and why it matters to you.
1. The Real Source of Moisture – Not Just the Symptoms
Most companies go straight to selling you treatments. Drill here, inject that, rip off plaster. It’s always the same approach, whether it’s needed or not.
We don’t start with a treatment. We start with a question: why is this happening?
That means investigating the source of moisture—where it’s really coming from. Is it driving rain getting through weak pointing or porous bricks? Is it condensation due to poor ventilation? Is it a leaking gutter or downpipe? Or something else entirely?
You can’t just look at a tide mark and say it’s rising damp. Moisture doesn’t appear for no reason, and unless you identify the exact route it’s taking into your property, you’re just treating symptoms. That’s how you end up with expensive jobs that don’t solve the problem—and come with more “recommendations” six months down the line.
We use a mix of moisture profiling, thermal imaging, salt analysis, and decades of on-site experience to work out exactly what's going on. No guesswork. No generic diagnosis.
2. How the Building Itself is Functioning (or Not)
Damp isn’t just about water. It’s also about how your building is performing.
Too often, buildings are misunderstood. For example, solid-walled Victorian homes aren’t supposed to be sealed up with modern waterproofing systems. Doing so traps moisture and makes the problem worse.
We look at the property as a whole. That includes:
- Ventilation and air flow
- Insulation and cold bridges
- Gutter and roof design
- Wall materials and construction type
- Past alterations that may have introduced problems
We treat your property as a living system, not just a surface to inject and replaster. Often, we find that what’s needed isn’t a damp proof course at all—it’s a change in how the property breathes, drains or ventilates.
It’s this whole-property thinking that separates us from quick-fix companies. It also means we’re often able to offer less invasive and more cost-effective solutions than those who jump straight to drilling holes.
3. What’s Going to Stop It Coming Back
Damp surveys shouldn’t just tell you what’s wrong. They should tell you what’s going to keep it right.
We don’t want to see your problem return. That’s why we include long-term thinking in every recommendation we make. That could mean improving air flow with passive or mechanical ventilation, re-routing downpipes, correcting ground levels outside, or addressing lifestyle issues that lead to excess moisture inside.
It also means we don’t jump to chemicals unless there’s a real need. Too many properties have been injected, replastered and sealed, only for the damp to come back a few years later—because nobody fixed the underlying problem.
We're not in the business of repeat call-outs. We’re in the business of permanent solutions. And that starts with understanding your building, your environment and your needs.
Why Our Approach Works
We’ve been doing this for over ten years, and in that time we’ve built our name on getting things right the first time. We’ve surveyed everything from small flats to large commercial units, dealing with issues from black mould and condensation to serious timber decay and wet rot.
Because we’re independent and don’t rely on selling a specific product or chemical, our recommendations are based purely on what’s best for the property.
We also work with the latest systems for waterproofing and basement tanking, offer comprehensive timber inspections, and can advise on everything from mould prevention to ventilation upgrades.
But it always starts with those three questions:
- What’s the real cause?
- How is the building affecting it?
- What’s going to stop it coming back?
If your survey doesn’t answer all three, it’s not doing its job.
Book Your Damp Survey in Brentwood
If you're dealing with unexplained damp, mould, or timber problems in Brentwood or the surrounding area, don’t settle for vague advice or aggressive sales tactics. Get a proper assessment from a company that takes your building seriously.
Contact Damp & Mould Control Ltd today to book your survey. We’ll give you a clear picture of what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what to do next—without the hard sell, and without the confusion.
