Reading grew up where the River Kennet meets the Thames, and both rivers run on to Maidenhead, Windsor and beyond. The town’s distinctive Victorian terraces, built in red and silver-grey brick, are some of the properties we treat most often in Berkshire.
Victorian terraces and ageing damp proof courses
Many of Reading’s terraces were built with slate or bitumen damp proof courses that are now well over a century old. Where they have failed, or been bridged by raised paths and patios, rising damp leaves tide marks, salts and decayed plaster on ground floor walls.
River valleys and groundwater
Low-lying areas near the Thames and Kennet, from Theale through Reading to Maidenhead, Windsor, Datchet and Wraysbury, have high water tables and a history of flooding. Cellars and solid floors can be under constant moisture pressure.
After a flood
Floodwater leaves walls saturated and often carries salts and contaminants. Walls can take a long time to dry, and covering them up too soon leads to blown plaster and mould. Drying should be monitored with moisture readings before replastering.
Preparing for wet winters
- Keep gutters, gullies and drains clear
- Check air bricks aren’t blocked or buried
- Make sure external ground levels sit well below the damp proof course
- Consider a waterproofing system for cellars that regularly take on water
We cover all of Berkshire and south Buckinghamshire. See damp proofing in Berkshire and water damage restoration in Berkshire.
