Mosman's older homes — grand Federation houses and Californian bungalows — are built into steep sandstone blocks right on the harbour. Salt-laden air and salt in the ground attack the masonry, sloping sites push moisture laterally through uphill walls, and original damp-proof courses have usually broken down. Salt damp and rising damp are both common here.
Where salt is in the wall, the finish is critical: a breathable, salt-resistant render lets the masonry dry while resisting fresh salt damage. We diagnose the true cause first, install a new course or drainage where needed, and finish so the repair holds near the water.
In Mosman, salt-laden harbour air compounds the problem: as ground moisture rises through sandstone footings and old brick, it carries both ground salts and coastal salts to the surface, where they crystallise and fret the masonry. Left untreated the tide mark climbs, plaster blows, skirtings rot, and the salt works deeper into the structural wall — the most expensive damage to reverse.
Mosman's harbour-side blocks and salt air keep subfloors damp. A proper subfloor ventilation system moves moist air out and protects floor timbers.
Salt-laden ground moisture is aggressive on older Mosman masonry. Our damp-proof course injection cuts off the rise at the source.
We hack off salt-blown render and re-coat with a breathable salt-resistant plaster system.
Coastal humidity drives mould here; our mould treatment clears it and fixes the cause.
For sandstone and below-ground walls we waterproof and tank against water ingress.
A free damp assessment tells you exactly what's going on, with a fixed price.
Mosman's older Federation homes and bungalows sit on steep sandstone blocks beside the harbour. Salt air, salt in the ground and failed damp-proof courses combine to cause rising damp and salt damp, especially in Balmoral and Beauty Point.
All of them — including Mosman, Balmoral, Beauty Point, Clifton Gardens, The Spit, Cremorne Point, Georges Heights. If your suburb is not listed, call us; we cover the whole area.
Salt damp is rising damp that has carried ground and sea salts up into the wall. The salts keep drawing moisture and chew through plaster. The fix is the same diagnosis plus a salt-resistant render, which matters a lot in a harbourside suburb like Mosman.