If internal walls in your Hinckley home feel noticeably cold to the touch — even when the heating is on — this often leads homeowners to suspect damp. In reality, cold internal walls are usually caused by thermal bridging, insulation voids, or hidden heat loss, rather than water ingress.
Internal walls should normally feel close to room temperature. When they don’t, it’s a sign that heat is being lost or moisture is condensing on colder surfaces.
At Weather Wise Solutions — a family-run damp and ventilation specialist — we regularly diagnose cold internal walls that are incorrectly assumed to be damp-related.
🧊 Why Internal Walls Can Feel Cold
1️⃣ Thermal Bridging
Thermal bridging occurs where heat escapes more easily through parts of the building structure, such as:
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Junctions between floors and walls
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Wall-to-ceiling connections
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Boxed-in steelwork or concrete lintels
Even internal walls can be affected if they intersect with cold external elements.
2️⃣ Insulation Voids
Insulation may be missing, uneven, or poorly installed behind internal partitions — particularly in properties that have been altered or extended. These voids allow cold air to reduce surface temperatures.
3️⃣ Cold Structural Elements
Internal walls connected to:
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External walls
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Unheated spaces
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Garages or stairwells
can become cold by conduction, even though they aren’t directly exposed to the weather.
4️⃣ Condensation Risk on Cooler Surfaces
When warm, moisture-laden air comes into contact with a cooler internal wall, condensation can form invisibly. This can make the wall feel cold or slightly clammy, especially in winter.
5️⃣ Reduced Air Circulation
Furniture placement, boxed-in areas, or poor airflow can prevent warm air from circulating properly, allowing internal walls to remain colder for longer.
🔍 How We Diagnose Cold Internal Walls in Hinckley
Rather than relying on a single moisture reading, we assess temperature behaviour and moisture risk, including:
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Surface temperature comparisons
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Humidity readings
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Identification of thermal bridges
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Ventilation performance
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Insulation continuity
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Ruling out penetrating or rising damp
This ensures cold walls are not misdiagnosed as structural damp.
🛠️ How Cold Internal Walls Are Properly Resolved
Depending on findings, solutions may include:
✔ Reducing Thermal Bridging
Improving insulation continuity at junctions and cold spots.
✔ Improving Ventilation
Removing moist air so condensation doesn’t form on cooler surfaces.
✔ Improving Airflow
Allowing warm air to circulate evenly throughout the home.
✔ Correct Material Specification
Ensuring finishes are appropriate for areas prone to condensation.
Where materials or systems are required, we work with trusted suppliers including:
🔗 PAM Ties – https://www.pamties.co.uk/
🔗 Wykamol Group – https://wykamol.com/
All advice aligns with guidance from:
🔗 Federation of Damp – https://federationofdamp.co.uk/
🔗 Damp Proofing Association – https://www.dampproofingassociation.co.uk/
For independent reassurance, you can also view our profiles on:
🔗 TrustATrader – https://www.trustatrader.com/traders/weather-wise-solutions-limited-damp-surveyor-newcastle-under-lyme
🔗 Checkatrade – https://www.checkatrade.com/trades/weatherwisesolutionslimited
Cold internal walls are a heat-loss warning sign —
not always damp.
Correct diagnosis prevents unnecessary treatments.
📍 Book a free survey:
https://weatherwiseuk.co.uk/pages/contact