Directory of Traditional Building Skills - Mourne Heritage Trust

REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKSa basic listExterior• Roofs – check for slipped, cracked or missing slates and ridge tiles, decayed flashingsand dislodged chimney pots and copings.• Rainwater disposal – check for holes in, and misalignment of, gutters and downpipes;and evidence of blockages, including drains.• Walls – watch for new bulging or cracking of masonry; deterioration of brick or stonesurfaces; cracking or detachment of render; excessive erosion of mortar joints; andcontrol the spread of plant growth into, or at the base of, walls.• Joinery and paintwork – check for flaking paint and cracking timber to doors,windows, bargeboards etc.• Windows – look for damage to panes, and for cracked putty.Interior• Roofspace – look for evidence of water penetration.• Walls and ceilings – check plaster for damp or deteriorating patches and for theefflorescence of salts. These may indicate damp problems requiring investigation.• Timbers and joinery – look for evidence of fungal growth on, or connected with,timber. A mouldy smell may indicate decay, as in some circumstances may springytimber floors. As fungal attack is most likely in dark, poorly ventilated areas, checkcupboards and under stair areas, etc. Also, look for evidence of new beetle attack suchas frass: adult beetles usually emerge from timber between May and August.• Pipework – check water and heating pipes (particularly in areas not normally seen) forevidence of leaking joints.Matthew SlocombeSociety for the Protection of Ancient BuildingsXIV