Module 5 · Conducting a Damp Inspection
5.2 External Inspection: What to Look For First
8 min read
The commonest procedural failure in damp surveying is going straight to the damp patch. Once you have looked at it, everything else gets interpreted in its light. Inspecting outside first, working top to bottom, builds an unbiased picture of the building — and frequently finds the cause before you have seen the symptom at all.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Carry out a systematic top-down external inspection.
- Identify the external defects that most commonly cause internal damp.
- Measure ground levels against the DPC and interpret the result.
- Relate external findings to the internal symptom's position.
Key terms
- Elevation
- One external face of the building, identified by compass direction.
- Rainwater goods
- Gutters, downpipes, hoppers and gullies — the system taking roof water away from the building.
- Abutment
- Where a roof meets a wall — a junction relying on flashing, and a frequent failure point.
- Splashback
- Rain bouncing off hard ground onto the base of a wall, wetting it from outside.
Free — enrol to continue
Read the rest of Conducting a Damp Inspection
Module 1 is open to everyone. The remaining six modules — building science, each damp mechanism in depth, meters and thermal imaging, the full inspection method, and report writing — are free too. We just ask for an email so you can pick up where you left off, and so we can send your certificate when you finish.