01
The Inspection
Moisture meters, thermal cameras where relevant, structural assessment. Every surface is a potential discovery. We measure, never guess.
ACTIVECASE.REF · DMM.2026.001·FORENSIC DAMP DIAGNOSTICS
The Damp& MouldMan.
We inspect it. We diagnose it. LWR Group fixes it.
Independent Damp Diagnostics · Lincoln · Lincolnshire
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FOR LANDLORDS
A tenant reported damp. The clock is running.
A tenant's written mould complaint is evidence a council can act on. A professional survey shows what's causing the problem and what needs to be done.
WHAT YOU GET
- HHSRS-compliant written report, ready to share with your council
- Same-week survey slots, written report usually within 3 working days
- Root cause identified, so the remediation actually fixes it
NOTE// Working Theory
Mould likes moisture.Reduce moisture, kill mould.
01The Process
02
The Report
HHSRS-compliant written report. Photographic evidence. Hazard classification. Defensible documentation. Delivered usually within 3 working days.
03
The Fix
Diagnosis leads to remedial works through our LWR sister team. One call. Full investigation. Full resolution.
// Survey from £100+VAT · Report usually within 3 working days
Open a CaseInteractive · 20 places damp shows up
How damp and mould affect a property
Most damp problems are diagnosed from the wrong evidence. Walk the house below — outside first, then room by room — to see where rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation each show themselves, what the sign actually means, and what it costs to leave it.
Penetrating damp
Chimney & flashing failure
- What you see
- Damp staining on the chimney breast in an upstairs room or the loft, sometimes with white salt deposits.
- What it usually means
- Failed lead flashing where the stack meets the roof, an unlined or uncapped flue, or eroded mortar in the stack itself. Water runs down inside the chimney and into the breast.
- Why it matters
- Often misdiagnosed as rising damp when it shows at the base of a chimney breast downstairs — but the water is coming from the top, not the ground.
1 / 8
Penetrating damp
Slipped tiles & roof defects
- What you see
- A damp patch on an upstairs ceiling, or daylight visible through the roof from inside the loft.
- What it usually means
- A single slipped or cracked slate, failed underfelt, or a blocked valley gutter. Water tracks along a rafter and can appear metres from the actual defect.
- Why it matters
- Because the water travels, the stain inside is a poor guide to where the leak is. A survey traces it back to the source instead of guessing.
2 / 8
Penetrating damp
Blocked or leaking gutter
- What you see
- A dark vertical stripe down the outside wall, worst after heavy rain, often with green algae growth below it.
- What it usually means
- A blocked, split or sagging gutter tips water straight down the brickwork instead of into the downpipe. The wall never gets a chance to dry out between downpours.
- Why it matters
- The cheapest defect on this house to fix and one of the most common causes of internal damp we find. Left alone it saturates the wall, ruins internal plaster and eventually rots the timbers behind it.
3 / 8
Penetrating damp
Failed pointing & spalled brick
- What you see
- Crumbling mortar you can rake out with a finger, or brick faces that have blown off leaving a pitted surface.
- What it usually means
- Old lime mortar erodes, or a previous repair used hard cement pointing that traps moisture in the brick and forces it out through the face instead.
- Why it matters
- Wind-driven rain gets straight into the wall. On Lincolnshire's older solid-wall stock this is a leading cause of penetrating damp on exposed elevations.
4 / 8
Penetrating damp
Cracked or blocked downpipe
- What you see
- Staining or moss in a narrow band behind the pipe, and a patch of permanently damp wall inside on the other side.
- What it usually means
- Hairline cracks at the back of a downpipe are invisible from the front — you only find them by looking behind the pipe, which is why they get missed for years.
- Why it matters
- Concentrated water in one spot. This is the defect most likely to produce a single stubborn damp patch inside that keeps returning after redecoration.
5 / 8
Penetrating damp
Window sills & failed seals
- What you see
- Damp plaster below a window, peeling paint on the reveal, or a rotting timber sub-sill.
- What it usually means
- A sill with no drip groove underneath lets water run back into the wall, or perished mastic around the frame lets it in at the edges.
- Why it matters
- Easily confused with condensation, which forms on the same window. The difference is where the moisture sits: on the glass means condensation, in the wall means ingress.
6 / 8
Rising damp
Blocked airbricks
- What you see
- Airbricks painted over, buried by a raised border, or blocked off by a later extension.
- What it usually means
- A suspended timber floor relies on cross-ventilation underneath. Block the airbricks and the void below the floor goes stagnant and damp.
- Why it matters
- Joists and floorboards rot out of sight, and the damp air finds its way up into the room above.
7 / 8
Rising damp
Raised ground level bridging the DPC
- What you see
- A new patio, path or flower bed sitting level with — or above — the internal floor, like the raised bed against this wall.
- What it usually means
- The damp-proof course sits two brick courses above ground for a reason. Raise the ground past it and water simply travels over the top, bypassing a perfectly sound DPC.
- Why it matters
- The most common cause of genuine rising damp we see, and it needs a spade rather than a chemical injection. Firms selling injection rarely mention it.
8 / 8
Condensation
Loft & roof space
- What you see
- Damp or mouldy roofing felt, wet insulation, water droplets on the underside of the roof in cold weather.
- What it usually means
- Warm moist air escaping the house through gaps and an unsealed loft hatch, meeting a cold roof — often made worse by insulation stuffed over the eaves, blocking the ventilation path.
- Why it matters
- Wet insulation stops insulating, so heating bills rise while the timbers stay damp. Frequently caused by a bathroom extractor venting into the loft instead of outside.
1 / 12
Condensation
Bathroom ceiling & corners
- What you see
- Black speckled mould on the ceiling above the shower, along the silicone, and in the top corners of the room.
- What it usually means
- A shower puts a lot of moisture into a small room in minutes. Without an extractor that actually runs — and a door kept shut while it does — that moisture spreads through the house.
- Why it matters
- The most frequent mould call-out we take, and usually the cheapest to solve. It is almost always ventilation, not a building defect.
2 / 12
Condensation
Window reveals & frames
- What you see
- Water pooling on the sill each morning, black mould on the sealant, mould in the reveals either side of the glass.
- What it usually means
- Glass and the reveals around it are the coldest surfaces in a room, so airborne moisture condenses there first. Modern airtight windows in an unventilated room make it worse.
- Why it matters
- Rots timber frames, stains sealant permanently, and signals that the whole room's humidity is too high — the window is just where it shows first.
3 / 12
Condensation
Behind wardrobes & furniture
- What you see
- Mould found only when a wardrobe is pulled away from an external wall — often black, often extensive.
- What it usually means
- Furniture pushed flat against a cold external wall stops air circulating behind it. The surface there sits several degrees colder than the rest of the room.
- Why it matters
- Grows unseen for months and damages clothing and the wall behind. A 50mm gap and a vent in the back panel usually prevents it entirely.
4 / 12
Condensation
Cold bridging at lintels & junctions
- What you see
- A clean, sharply defined line or patch of mould that mirrors something structural behind the plaster.
- What it usually means
- A concrete lintel or a wall junction conducts heat out faster than the wall around it, creating a cold stripe where moisture condenses first.
- Why it matters
- No amount of cleaning fixes it, because the surface will always be colder. Thermal imaging finds these in minutes; the naked eye rarely does.
5 / 12
Condensation
Closed trickle vents & sealed rooms
- What you see
- Trickle vents painted shut or slid closed; extractor fans disconnected or taped over.
- What it usually means
- Draught-proofing and new windows made homes airtight without always replacing the ventilation they removed. Moisture that used to escape now has nowhere to go.
- Why it matters
- The underlying reason mould has become more common in improved homes, and the first thing worth checking before anyone recommends structural work.
6 / 12
Condensation
Kitchen moisture
- What you see
- Streaming windows while cooking, mould on the wall behind the kettle, or around a poorly sealed worktop.
- What it usually means
- Boiling pans and a running kettle generate litres of water vapour a day. A recirculating cooker hood filters grease but removes no moisture at all.
- Why it matters
- A frequently missed source, because the mould usually appears somewhere else — in the coldest room in the house, not the one making the steam.
7 / 12
Penetrating damp
Chimney breast staining
- What you see
- A damp patch or white crystalline salts on the chimney breast, often at the base, in a room with a disused fireplace.
- What it usually means
- Rain entering an uncapped flue soaks the brickwork inside, and old soot deposits are hygroscopic — they pull moisture from the air and hold it in the plaster.
- Why it matters
- Very commonly sold as rising damp because it appears low down. The cure is capping and ventilating the flue, not injecting the wall.
8 / 12
Condensation
Drying washing indoors
- What you see
- Windows misting up on wash days; mould appearing in the room where clothes are dried.
- What it usually means
- One load of wet washing releases around two litres of water into the air as it dries. Indoors with the windows shut, all of it stays in the house.
- Why it matters
- A genuinely large moisture source that costs nothing to fix, and the reason mould is often blamed on tenants when the real issue is that the property has nowhere to dry clothes.
9 / 12
Rising damp
Tide marks on ground-floor walls
- What you see
- A brown-edged horizontal band roughly a metre up the wall, higher in winter, with a distinct wavy top edge.
- What it usually means
- Groundwater rising through masonry carries dissolved salts with it. It stops where evaporation balances the rise — which is what draws the line.
- Why it matters
- The one sign that genuinely suggests rising damp rather than something cheaper. It still needs confirming with moisture readings before anyone spends money.
10 / 12
Rising damp
Blown plaster & salt staining
- What you see
- Bubbling or crumbling plaster at skirting level, a fluffy white crystalline deposit, skirting boards soft to a screwdriver.
- What it usually means
- Hygroscopic salts left behind by evaporating groundwater. They attract moisture from the air, so the wall stays damp even after the original source is fixed.
- Why it matters
- Why replastering alone fails: unless the salt-contaminated plaster is removed, the new finish blows again within a year or two.
11 / 12
Rising damp
Subfloor void & solid floors
- What you see
- Cold or damp patches on a concrete floor, lifting vinyl, carpet that smells musty however often it is cleaned.
- What it usually means
- Pre-1960s solid floors were often laid with no damp-proof membrane, and timber floors rely on the void below staying ventilated. Either way moisture comes up into the room.
- Why it matters
- Adds constant moisture to the air, which then condenses on cold surfaces elsewhere — a ground-level source producing what looks like a condensation problem upstairs.
12 / 12
Outside — 8 signs, tap to read
Rising damp
Groundwater drawn up through the wall where the damp-proof course has failed or been bridged. Genuinely rare — and over-diagnosed by firms that sell the injection.
Penetrating damp
Water getting in from outside through a defect: a blocked gutter, failed pointing, a cracked downpipe, a slipped tile. Fix the defect and the damp stops.
Condensation
Moisture already in the air meeting a cold surface. By far the most common cause of household mould, and the one most often misdiagnosed as something more expensive.
Recognise any of these in your property?
A diagram narrows it down. Confirming it takes moisture readings, thermal imaging where relevant, and someone with no stake in selling you the remedial work. That is the whole job: find the actual cause, in writing, so you spend money once.
Mould report from £100+VAT · Full damp & mould survey £250+VAT · Lincoln & Lincolnshire
£Pricing · Fixed Rates
Clear pricing for Lincolnshire.
Mould Report from £100+VAT. Damp & Mould Survey from £250+VAT. Fixed prices, no hidden extras.
Most Popular
SURVEY.01
Mould Report
Focused mould assessment for homeowners and tenants.
£100+VAT
- Visual mould assessment (no laboratory testing)
- Humidity readings (where conditions allow)
- Cause identification
- Written summary report
- HHSRS-compliant written report
- Remediation advice
- Photo documentation
- A phone call to talk the report through
- Moisture readings
- Thermal imaging
SURVEY.02
Damp & Mould Survey
HHSRS-compliant inspection with detailed written report.
£250+VAT
- Inspection of accessible rooms and the outside
- Humidity and moisture readings, where conditions allow
- Thermal imaging, where relevant
- Visual mould assessment (no laboratory testing)
- Root cause analysis
- HHSRS hazard rating
- Photographic evidence
- Remediation recommendations
- Detailed written report
- Digital report, usually within 3 working days
- Remedial works if required via LWR
- A phone call to talk the report through
- Moisture mapping
!Legislation · Active Since Oct 2025
Awaab's Law —
Is Enforced.
Since October 2025, social landlords in England must investigate and act on damp and mould reports within strict legal timeframes. Failure carries criminal penalties and unlimited fines.
10
Working Days
Legal deadline for social landlords to investigate damp and mould reports. Clock starts the moment a report is received.
24hr
Emergency Hazards
Immediate action required from social landlords where mould poses an acute risk. No extension or deferral permitted.
Civil
Penalties Apply
Ignoring a council improvement notice can mean prosecution, civil penalties, rent repayment orders and banning orders.
Cat 1
HHSRS Hazard
Damp and mould are a Category 1 hazard under the Housing Act 2004 — the highest severity rating.
// Our HHSRS reports give you a written paper trail and demonstrate due diligence.
Understand Your Obligations?Evidence Log · Mould Species
The three moulds we identify most often in Lincolnshire properties. Open a case file.
SPECIMEN 001MICROGRAPH
The Cold-Corner Lurker
LOW · MODERATEAppearance · Olive green to brown
Cladosporium
Common, widespread and forgiving. Cladosporium is usually the first mould we find in homes with ventilation issues. Solve the airflow and it tends to disappear.
- Substrate
- Cold corners, window frames, fabrics, wood
- Likely Cause
- Condensation from poor ventilation
- Health Risk
- Allergic reactions, asthma triggers
- Our Action
- Pinpoint the cold spots, fix the airflow, document the source
≈Field Guide · Damp Diagnosis
The three types of damp our damp survey in Lincoln diagnoses across Lincolnshire — and how to tell them apart. Open a case file.
CASE 001SITE PHOTO
The Cold-Surface Culprit
MOST COMMONTell-tale · Window misting, black-spot mould
Condensation
By far the most common form we see. Warm, moist indoor air hits a cold surface and turns to water — feeding the black-spot mould that follows it into corners, reveals and behind furniture.
- Where
- Cold corners, window reveals, north-facing walls, behind wardrobes
- Cause
- Excess humidity plus poor ventilation meeting cold surfaces
- Tell-Tale Sign
- Running window condensation, black-spot mould, a persistent musty smell
- Our Action
- Assess humidity and ventilation, thermal imaging where relevant, plan ventilation and insulation
▣Research Archive · Field Notes
Damp, mould and HHSRS research, straight from the field.
FIELD NOTE
No. 016 · FILED 2026.09.21
Why Is Salt Coming Through My Walls? Efflorescence Explained
White powdery marks on a wall are usually salt left behind by evaporating moisture. What efflorescence and hygroscopic salts mean, and when to get a survey.
OPEN FILE
REMEDIATION
No. 017 · FILED 2026.09.21
How to Stop Condensation in a Rented Home
Condensation in a rented home, explained for tenants and landlords: what you can change, what the building is doing, and where the line between them falls.
OPEN FILE
REMEDIATION
No. 018 · FILED 2026.09.21
Mould Around Windows: Why It Starts There First
Mould around a window frame, sill or reveal is telling you something. What each pattern means, why the bedroom is worst, and when it is not condensation.
OPEN FILE
REMEDIATION
No. 014 · FILED 2026.08.26
Condensation on Windows: What's Normal, What's a Warning Sign
A little condensation on a cold window is normal. Here's how much is normal, whether new windows actually fix it, and when it means something more.
OPEN FILE
?Common Questions
Asked & answered.
Time on site depends on the size of the property and how much of it is affected.
We recommend being present so we can discuss findings with you directly, but it's not essential. We can arrange key access with landlords or agents.
Reports are delivered digitally usually within 3 working days of the inspection.
Yes. Our reports are HHSRS-compliant and written to a standard designed for landlords and letting agents across Lincolnshire.
Yes. Through our sister company LWR Group, we offer full remediation services. We can inspect, report, and fix — all through one team.
We cover Lincoln and the wider Lincolnshire area, including North Hykeham, Gainsborough, Sleaford, Newark, Grantham, and surrounding villages.
Survey fees are non-refundable. Any remedial works carried out by our sister company LWR Group are backed by LWR Group's workmanship guarantee.
Key Facts · At A Glance
- Company
- The Damp & Mould Man
- Legal entity
- LW Renovation Group Ltd
- Service area
- Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Gainsborough, Newark, Sleaford, Grantham
- Mould Report
- £100+VAT
- Full Damp & Mould Survey
- £250+VAT
- Report turnaround
- Usually 3 working days
- Accreditation
- FODSC certified
- Phone / WhatsApp
- 07453 527 205
- mouldman@lwrgroup.co.uk
Reports are written to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and cover requirements introduced by Awaab's Law.
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