This beautiful Cotswold farmhouse elevation was previously repointed using the hardest and most inappropriate cement mortar we've come across yet. It took some significant effort to remove without damaging the soft limestone. This property also suffered damp problems caused by defective guttering which the clients resolved during the course of the repoint. The property was repointed using a lime putty mortar. This was achievable due to its sheltered position.
The dampness at the bottom of the gutter downpipes is obvious as is the dampness at the far right hand side. This was reflected on the fireplace internally which was repointed using the same mortar mix. The fireplace took weeks to dry out where it met that corner of the building internally. The guttering where it meets the left gable is also defective and not doing its job properly. The lichen growth around the tree speaks of an elevation that isn't getting any sunlight and is kept fairly damp by the tree shelter. The answer then was to fix the guttering and replace the dense, rich cement mortar with a soft breathable air lime.
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