Council Owned Estate, Kidbrooke – Stopping Penetrating Damp

This large residential estate in Kidbrooke is owned by Greenwich Council. The seven tower blocks within the estate are home to a large amount of people. The buildings were constructed in the 1970s using London brick arranged in a cavity wall configuration. They are spread throughout a park area and are exposed to the weather on all sides.

The Problem

Over the years, the brick walls of the buildings within the estate had become damaged by continuous weather erosion, frost damage and biological growth. The bricks were quite porous already but the years of degradation in the mortar had now caused the wall to be regularly effected by penetrating damp issues.

The intense wind and rainfall of the 2013 / 2014 winter months had caused problems for the residents of the estate. Damp patches were showing up on interior walls, spoiling decoration and creating an uncomfortable living environment. Greenwich council wanted to stop the penetrating damp and make sure that the estate was prepared for any similarly extreme winters in the future.

The Solution

Damp-proofing and building maintenance experts, City Heights London, were called in to inspect the building and ensure appropriate works were carried out. After performing a thorough survey, it was decided that the best and least disruptive way to stop the penetrating damp was to repoint the damaged areas of mortar using Stormdry Repointing Addtive No.1 and then apply a coat of Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream.

Before the repointing could take place, the walls were thoroughly cleaned to eliminate the years worth of biological growth. The repointing was then carried out and allowed to cure before the Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream application was carried out. Due to the large size of the estate, it was necessary to make use of cherry pickers to enable the swift and safe completion of the works.

The bulk of the Stormdry application was carried out using paint rollers, with application to detailed areas being carried out using paint brushes. City Heights London kept in regular contact with both Greenwich Council and Safeguard Europe to ensure that the works were being carried out to the correct specifications.

After the completion of works, Safeguard Europe were invited by both City Heights London and Greenwich council to carry out a masonry absorption test. The test showed that the Stormdry treatment was effective and moisture could no longer penetrate the wall. The residents of the Kidbrooke estate can now enjoy warm and dry homes for a BBA-approved 25 years.