Pozzolans
What Are Pozzolans?Pozzolans (or in Italian: pozzolana) are various glassy materials (e.g. specific natural sands, ashes or powders) mixed into lime that can make lime plasters hydraulic, which is water resistant or even completely waterproof. The name originates from the town…
Thermal Insulation of Solid Walls
The ProblemEnergy efficiency of old buildings is a hot topic nowadays. Unlike new buildings which are designed and built with adequate insulation in mind, the retrofit insulation of old buildings – especially the ones with solid walls – poses significant…
Dampness Related Respiratory Illnesses in Old Buildings
Health consequences of living in a damp building, especially dampness related respiratory problems, are a hot topic nowadays and for a good reason. This kind of a problem is more common than one would think, so I thought to share…
Rotting Joists – Diagnosis and Repair
An Old Farm House with Rotting JoistsWe have surveyed an old farm house, where the floor was already taken up and the joists were getting replaced. The client was facing a very common problem: rotting joists.It is easy to see…
Rainwater Splashback
Rainwater bouncing back from the ground or the plinth is another source of moisture that affects all buildings, especially older buildings built of more porous, water-absorbent materials.This can be recognized by a green discoloration occurring towards at the base of…
Rerendering Old Buildings
As mentioned earlier, the ideal solution to the problem of driving rain in older buildings is a rendering system that is both waterproof and breathable.The technology of a traditional rendering system that fulfills both of these criteria originates from ancient…
Wind Driven Rain
Wind driven rain is a major problem especially in coastal areas, as it can saturate the building fabric, leading to staining, spoiling of internal decorations, even to structural damages long-term.Salts dislodged by driving rain from the fabric can be deposited…
The Ultimate Lime Plastering Challenge: The Saltiest Building in the World
At our last conservation workshop in Venice, we had the chance to visit one of saltiest buildings in the world - The Old Salt Storage of Venice. But before I dive into the challenges that building meant in terms of…
Solving Damp Problems due to High Water Table
NO DAMP PROOF COURSE + HIGH WATER TABLE = PROBLEMThis is a case study of a 250 years old stone farm house, with a high water table, where nothing seemed to work... Old buildings built prior to the 1870s often do…
How Salts Damage Old Buildings?
The problem of moisture movement in old buildings are accompanied by the migration of salts, the moisture problem becoming a dual problem of water and salts.What are Salts?Salts are minerals made up of two electro-chemical parts called ions. The electrically positive…