A damp patch on the wall sends many homeowners straight to waterproofing — but if the real cause is a hidden pipe leak, you'll just be re-plastering the same spot in six months. First, work out what you're actually dealing with.
Rising damp
Appears low on walls — up to about a metre — often with a horizontal tide-mark, and is worst at floor level. It's moisture drawn up from the ground through the wall.
A plumbing leak
Usually a localised patch that can be higher up, often near a bathroom, kitchen or where pipes run. A hot-water pipe leak may feel warm. If the patch grows, appears near plumbing, or your water bill has risen, suspect a leak.
Condensation
Forms on cold surfaces in poorly-ventilated rooms (bathrooms without an extractor fan, behind furniture on outside walls). It's about ventilation, not plumbing.
Find the leak before you fix the wall
Waterproofing over an active leak hides it while the damage spreads. We pinpoint hidden leaks with acoustic, tracer-gas and thermal tools — no unnecessary breaking up — so you fix the cause, not the symptom. See leak detection. Confirm it's a leak, rising damp or condensation, then apply the right fix. Book a leak check.