24/09/2025
Addressing Maltese traditional house humidity problems...
The majority of concerns we encounter visiting traditional houses interior / exterior.
Black Mold, musty smells, damp condensation causing leakages, blocked guttering pipes, blocked drains, soil debris, wood, iron bits stacked in the wall. Garden walls exposed to high winds, UV radiation, coastal sea spray, ground levels outside higher than inside -floor tile alignment issue, houses not aired or heated for many years. In a nutshell it is unhealthy for the person's living.
We get FAQ of what's available what can be done to help solve this issue without incurring high annual maintenance costs.
So what's available out there:
Traditional method:
Rising damp maintenance on walls advised be pointed with a lime mortar together with a lime concoction. Recommended use of dehumidifier. - annual maintenance
Gypsum wall lining - plaster - paint method:
Walls are covered in structure away from the bare brick wall, plastered, sanded, painted. Moisture gets trapped underneath paint and overtime oxidizes (if walls are not properly cleaned Salt is pulled through the wall and paint bubbles up) results in hygrical movement, hair line cracks appear - interior walls cannot breathe. - unhealthy to occupant's
The more modern method:
Removal of old plaster to brick wall. Leave to dry 30days damp sealant solvent application. FRC insulated panels (9mm) applied direct to wall (purposely allowing old wall to breathe) height @ 1.25cm pre primed, painted. Saving you the 3 layer method and your interior planning space isn't compromised. - less is more.
