See the first place you should check immediately and where rainfall will
A BUILDING expert has urged homeowners to perform a series of easy checks to spot signs of damp and avoid costly repair bills this winter.
The 'touch and look' checks will help detect the eight early warning signs that damp is seeping into your home.
And it is these quick jobs that could be the difference between a small and rather cheap fix or a large-scale repair job costing thousands.
"The financial difference between early treatment and major repairs proves substantial," Paul Kershaw, owner of Tradefix Direct said.
"Checking now might cost just a few hundred dollars while extensive repairs, including structural work, can cost many thousands.
"Early intervention stops the cycle of moisture accumulation that leads to mould growth with its associated health concerns."
In the US, damage to the home caused by damp can result in costly bills, some reaching up to $30,000 if you end up needing extensive whole-house mold remediation.
Mold remediation costs an average of $2,300, going up to $3,750, according to 2025 research carried out by This Old House.
It notes that mold removal costs around $10 to $25 per square foot, with small areas costing between $500 and $1,500 and extensive whole-house remediation reaching $10,000 to a staggering $30,000.
The first place homeowners should check are their windowsills and frames.
These "show the earliest signs of developing damp," Kershaw said.
If there are discolored patches or flaking paint, it is likely that mold will soon set in.
In addition to this, Kershaw advises to press firmly on wooden frames and if there is a softness, this "indicates water damage underneath".
Next up is assessing paint for any bubbling or your wallpaper to see if it is peeling.
These are key signs of moisture issues and "typically appear in room corners or ceiling edges first," the Tradefix Direct owner said.
Homeowners should also keep an eye out for brown or yellowish horizontal tide marks on lower walls.
"Faint discolouration forming horizontal tide marks on lower walls indicates rising damp," he noted.
"These marks usually appear up to a metre from floor level. They suggest your damp proof course has failed or been bridged."
The next warning sign can be spotted from outside - Kershaw says you should inspect external brickwork for white powder.
This is salt that gets drawn out from the bricks by water and is a "clear early warning that the masonry is becoming saturated or that water is penetrating through gaps, damaged mortar, or missing flashings."
Any musty smells inside the home is also a sign of damp and these are notably found in poor ventilated areas such as behind furniture, inside cupboards, and below floor coverings, the building expert said.
He tells homeowners to "pull furniture away from walls, open cupboard doors, and lift rugs occasionally, to check that surfaces feel dry and do not give off that damp, musty odour."
Next up is to check your skirting boards and floor edges for darkened patches or warping and again, you can press the wood for softness which indicates decay caused by moisture.
Meanwhile, you should also keep an eye on your windows for condensation patterns.
"Persistent window condensation creates perfect conditions for damp development," Kershaw said.
"Moisture that takes hours to clear indicates poor air circulation. Multiple rooms affected suggest whole-house ventilation problems."
You should regularly wipe down these areas, keep vents and extractors clear, and consider whole-house ventilation, he advised.
The final early damp check is to look for isolated damp patches on the wall, particularly after rainfall.
"These marks often fade during dry periods, leading homeowners to ignore them. Without treatment, they gradually worsen, causing extensive damage," Kershaw warned.