A plain-English local guide for Biddenden homes (TN27), written to help you find the cause before you spend money.
Biddenden is a large Wealden village north of Tenterden, with fine houses built on the wealth of its old cloth trade alongside later homes. An older house here behaves differently from a modern one, so start by finding out what the walls are made of and what has been done to them. Condensation in an owner-occupied home with a loft may suit a Dryzen system; leaks, trapped moisture from cement repairs and rising damp need diagnosing first.
Biddenden is a village and civil parish in the borough of Ashford, on the Weald of Kent about five miles north of Tenterden, in postcode district TN27. Wikipedia notes that Flemish clothworkers settled in the area during the reign of Edward III and that wealth from the broadcloth industry built many of the fine houses in the village. The parish church, All Saints, was built mostly in the 13th century.
That history matters for damp. An old timber frame or solid wall behaves very differently from a modern cavity wall. Cement render, gypsum plaster and waterproof paint on old materials can hold moisture in, and extensions of different ages can meet at a cold junction where condensation collects.
Hard repairs on an old wall often trap moisture. Our guide to damp in period properties explains why, and removing them is a builder's job, not a dehumidifier's.
Patches that follow rain mean water is getting in. Spots in cold corners, behind wardrobes and on glass on cold mornings mean condensation. A damp band low on the wall needs a specialist to look at it.
A Dryzen unit is mounted in the loft, so the home needs one. In an old house with exposed roof timbers or a low pitched roof that may not be practical, and the free survey checks this.
Dryzen suits owner-occupied homes with a loft where the cause is condensation. It is not suitable for rental properties unless the landlord authorises the changes. If your home is listed or in a conservation area, check with Ashford Borough Council before altering anything.
Start by measuring. A hygrometer in the coldest bedroom tells you whether you are living above the 60 to 65 percent level at which mould and dust mites do well, before you decide what to change. For the full evidence, calculator and printable cheat sheet, see The Healthy Home Humidity Guide.
Some buildings in the village may be. Ask Ashford Borough Council whether yours is listed or in a conservation area before planning changes to the outside of a building.
Thick old walls take a long time to warm and often have little insulation, so internal surfaces stay cold and moisture condenses on them.
Yes. The survey is free and includes a check that your loft is suitable.
Roughly 50 to 55 percent relative humidity is a sensible target, within the 40 to 60 percent band commonly suggested. Sustained readings above about 60 to 65 percent favour mould and dust mites. A dehumidifier does not remove existing mould or control bed bugs or fleas, it helps stop the conditions mould and dust mites depend on.
Sources: Wikipedia: Biddenden; West Suffolk Council: Damp in Old Buildings; Property Care Association: Rising damp advice