HUMIX · Heritage

Damp in a historic building? Solved with respect for its past.

Period homes, historic estates, castles and conservation-area properties share the same weakness: solid walls that need to breathe. The usual damp fixes can trap moisture and damage original fabric. HUMIX starts with a careful survey and treats rising damp without cutting into the wall.

  • A careful survey before any proposal
  • No wall cutting, no chemical injection, no stripping of finishes
  • Breathable, conservation-led approach
  • Period homes, estates, castles and historic venues
Request a heritage survey How we work

Request a heritage damp survey

Tell us about the building and what you've noticed. A specialist calls you back, usually within one working day.

Your details are only used to arrange the survey · Privacy notice

0 Cuts into the historic fabric
0 Chemical injection along the wall
1 Survey before any proposal
4 Nations of the UK covered
A HUMIX specialist surveying damp in an old solid wall Every survey starts by reading the wall, not the stain
Our approach

Historic buildings were built to breathe. Damp starts when they can't

Before cavity walls and damp-proof membranes, buildings managed moisture by letting it evaporate through stone, brick and lime. Damp usually appears when that balance is disturbed: raised ground, failing drainage, gutters, or later repairs in cement and gypsum. We find what changed before deciding what to do.

  • We read the building: construction, age, past repairs, ground levels and drainage.
  • We tell causes apart: rising damp, condensation and water getting in.
  • We recommend the least invasive option that will work, and explain why.
Conservation principles

Four principles we follow in every historic building

Understand first, change as little as possible and use methods that suit the original fabric: the same principles that guide conservation work across the UK.

I

Let the wall breathe

Historic walls in stone, brick and lime manage moisture by letting it evaporate. We never seal them in with cement render, tanking or impermeable paints.

II

Minimum intervention

No cutting into the masonry, no chemical injection along the wall and no stripping of original finishes. We change as little of the building as possible.

III

Reversible where possible

The HUMIX system is installed without altering the historic fabric, so the building is left as it was found if it is ever removed.

IV

Diagnosis first, recorded

Every proposal starts with a survey and a written record of what we found, which you can share with your architect, surveyor or conservation officer.

How we work

A careful process for buildings that can't be replaced

From the first call to a dry wall, each step is designed around the rules that protect the building.

  1. 01

    A first conversation about the building

    We ask about its age, construction, listing grade or conservation area, past repairs and where the damp shows. That tells us what to look for before we visit.

  2. 02

    A careful survey on site

    A specialist reads the signs: moisture readings, salt patterns, ground levels, drainage, rainwater goods and earlier repairs in cement or gypsum. The aim is to separate rising damp from condensation and water getting in.

  3. 03

    A written report you can share

    You receive our findings and a proposal in plain language. If the building is listed, it's ready to discuss with the local planning authority or your conservation adviser before any work goes ahead.

  4. 04

    Discreet installation and follow-up

    Where the HUMIX system is right for the building, it's installed in a few hours without disruptive building work, and we follow how the walls dry out over the following months.

Listed buildings and conservation areas. If the building is listed, work affecting its walls, plaster or finishes may need listed building consent; in a conservation area, check with the council's conservation officer first. Guidance comes from Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw and the Historic Environment Division in Northern Ireland. We go through your building's status with you before recommending any work.

The HUMIX system against rising damp

HUMIX system

Rising damp

Recommended when the survey confirms rising damp. It works without cutting into the wall, without injecting chemicals along it and without stripping existing finishes.

  • Installed in a few hours
  • No building work inside the property
  • Suitable for stone, brick and lime walls
What we avoid

Treatments that can harm an old building

Many damp "cures" were designed for modern cavity walls. On historic fabric they can trap moisture, push salts higher and damage what makes the building special.

  • Chemical damp-proof course injection drilled along the wall
  • Cement render, tanking slurries and waterproof membranes
  • Hacking off lime plaster and replastering in gypsum
  • Impermeable paints that stop the wall drying out
Who we help

For the people who own, manage and care for historic buildings

Period home owners

Georgian, Victorian and older homes, cottages and farmhouses, listed or in conservation areas.

Estates and historic venues

Country houses, castles, historic hotels and wedding venues where damp affects rooms in daily use.

Trusts and institutions

Charities, trusts, museums, schools and colleges looking after historic buildings.

Architects and surveyors

Conservation professionals who need a non-invasive option for rising damp and a clear written survey.

Common questions

Questions about damp in historic buildings

My building isn't listed. Is this still for me?

Yes. Any building with solid walls in stone, brick and lime, listed or not, benefits from a breathable approach. Many period homes in conservation areas are in exactly this situation.

Why not use a chemical damp-proof course?

It means drilling a line of holes along the wall and injecting a water-repellent cream, often followed by cement-based replastering. In historic walls it's irreversible, damages original fabric and can trap moisture.

How does the HUMIX system work without drilling?

It acts on rising damp without cutting into the wall, without injecting chemicals along it and without stripping finishes. It's installed in a few hours and only recommended once a survey confirms rising damp.

Is it always rising damp?

No. Condensation, leaking gutters, raised ground and cement repairs are very common causes in old buildings. We only recommend the HUMIX system when rising damp is confirmed.

Do I need consent?

If the building is listed or in a conservation area, some work may need consent from the local planning authority. Because the HUMIX system is minimally invasive the intervention is small, but always check with the council. Our written report helps with that.

Which areas do you cover?

We work across the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Is the first survey free?

Yes. The first survey is free and with no obligation.

Heritage survey

Protect its history while you solve the damp

Tell us about the building and what you've noticed. A specialist will call you back to arrange a survey and explain the options before anything is decided.

Request a survey Email [email protected]
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