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Building Conservation: Almhouses |
Almshouses Conservation Almshouses have existed for over 1000 years to provide independent living for needy people, mostly elderly, with a high standard of affordable housing in their community. Almshouses have limited budgets and the historic fabric often suffers from mould infestation, damp and timber decay. Remedial chemical treatment for mould infestation, damp and timber decay in Almshouses relies on the use of injected damp proof courses and chemicals, which are often unnecessary and a waste of time, money and resources and have a high environmental impact. Often the damage caused by this remedial timber treatment approach to Almshouses is more than the damage caused by infestations in the first place because this approach often relies on extensive exposure works and drilling and irrigating with chemicals. Often large scale removal of timbres is not necessary as there is sufficient residual structural strength left is these historic timbers to carry loads as required. However it is now possible, using advanced detection techniques with the Resistograph, to determine the exact location and type of decay and this approach is completely non-destructive  The solution EBS carries out a visual inspection of Almshouses for mould, damp and timber decay in the problem areas and this is backed up with non-destructive instrumentation and technologies to determine the type, extent, cause(s) of damp and timber decay. A technical report is prepared for conservation repairs, chemical free solutions to woodworm and death watch beetle and fungal infestation. EBS approach negates the use of Damp Proof Courses and Remedial Chemical Treatments which are often recommended by the industry and large scale removal of historic timbers are usually not required. EBS also carries out Timber Stress Grading and Species Identification for engineers. EBS philosophy is that the sources of moisture must be located and eliminated and natural drying of the structure must follow this. In areas of active mould infestation and decay, ensure free air movement around timber in walls, roofs and suspended floors. All the active fungal material and any timber affected to the extent that its function is compromised or adjacent structures put at risk must be moved from the building.
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