Rain getting in
An uncapped disused chimney, worn flashing where the stack meets the roof, or porous brick and stone let rain in. Patches often show upstairs as well as down, and get worse after wet weather.
STAINS, SALTS & CHIMNEYS
DAMP CHIMNEY BREASTS
IN CUMBRIAN HOMES.
Brown stains or damp patches on the chimney breast that come back every time you paint? There are usually three possible causes, and each has a different fix.
Arrange a free surveyThree usual
causes.
Cumbrian chimneys take a battering from wind and rain, and many have been out of use for decades. Working out which cause you’re dealing with comes first.
Condensation in a sealed flue
When a fireplace is blocked off without ventilation, moist air trapped in the flue condenses on the cold masonry. The flue needs air moving through it.
Soot salts
Burning coal and wood leaves salts in the chimney. They attract moisture from the air, so brown or yellow stains appear in humid weather and bleed through paint.
Further reading +
Which is
it likely to be?
Points to rain getting in
- Worse after heavy or wind-driven rain
- Damp near the ceiling or on upstairs chimney breasts
- No cap or cowl on a disused chimney
- Worn or missing lead flashing around the stack
Points to salts or condensation
- Stains that return through new paint
- Worse in humid weather rather than after rain
- A fireplace boarded up with no vent
- Brown, yellow or tea-coloured staining
How it’s
fixed.
Stop the moisture
That might mean capping a disused chimney with a ventilated cowl, fitting a vent at the bottom, or getting flashing repaired.
Remove salty plaster
Plaster contaminated with salts is taken off and replaced with a suitable system, so the stains don’t come back.
Decorate when dry
Once the new plaster has dried, it can be decorated as normal.
Damp help
across north & west Cumbria.
Send your postcode to confirm availability, including nearby towns and villages.
Check availabilityCarlisle & the north
Carlisle, Brampton, Longtown, Wigton
West Cumbria & the coast
Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Silloth, Aspatria, Egremont, Cleator Moor
Penrith & the northern Lakes
Penrith, Keswick, Cockermouth
Damp chimney breasts
FAQs.
Why do the stains come back after painting?
Usually because salts in the old plaster keep drawing in moisture, or water is still getting in. Paint, even stain-block, only hides it for a while.
Should a disused chimney be capped?
Yes, with a ventilated cowl, and the fireplace opening should have a vent so air can move through the flue. Sealing it completely traps moisture.
Does blocking up a fireplace cause damp?
It can, if it’s sealed without ventilation. A simple vent in the boarding or grate usually solves it.
Can I fix it with stain-block paint?
Stain-block hides marks for a while but doesn’t deal with moisture or salts, so the problem usually returns.
Do you repair chimneys and flashing?
We’ll diagnose the cause and explain what’s needed. Work on the stack and roof may need a roofer; we handle the inside repairs and replastering.
I want to reopen the fireplace. Does that help?
It can improve ventilation, but there’s more to check first.
YOUR HOME. A CLEARER WAY FORWARD.
BOOK YOUR FREE
SURVEY OR QUOTE.
Damp, ventilation or plastering. Tell us what you need and arrange a free, no-obligation survey or quotation.
