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What Is The Best Procedure For Treating Rising Damp In London?
Environ Property Services is a trusted expert in treating rising damp in London. Our reliable and friendly service team is guaranteed to fix any damp issue currently presenting itself in your home or business premises; and to prevent any recurrence in the future.
What is Rising Damp?
Rising damp is one of the most common kinds of damp or mould. The name itself gives you an indication of how it starts. Moisture from the ground travels upwards onto the walls through capillary action, seeping into the bricks or wood, depending on the materials your walls are made of.
Rising damp can cause damage to walls, which often becomes visible inside when signs begin to appear on paint, wallpaper, or plastered surfaces. Damp of this kind can potentially cause health problems, including respiratory issues and skin allergies.
When your property falls victim to rising damp, your walls need much more than just new wallpaper or a new coat of paint to solve the problem. It needs immediate treatment to stop further damage and prevent it from coming back again in the future.
Some of the most common visible signs of rising damp are stains and tide marks on your walls. You may also notice wallpaper starting to peel and skirting boards beginning to rot. There may also be a musty smell in and around the area.
Other signs include black mould on the plaster, salts within the plaster, and salts forming on the external bricks. Once any of these signs appear, it’s time to call London rising damp specialists.
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What Causes Rising Damp?
There are several reasons for rising damp issues developing in buildings. Some of the most common causes are:- Debris building up in the wall cavity.
- External and internal renders blocking the damp proof course.
- Inappropriate or ineffective insulation material used in cavity walls.
- The outdoor ground level being higher than the damp proof course.
- Solid floors and voids below floors.
How To Treat Rising Damp
Rising damp won’t resolve itself – in fact, the problem is only likely to worsen over time, when it could cost much more to fix. It’s therefore important to address the issue as soon as you see the first signs.
Remember, though, that there are various other types of damp that can cause problems in buildings, and many of the symptoms can look the same. However, the treatments will differ. So before booking rising damp treatments in London, ask a specialist firm like Environ Services Ltd to carry out an on-site survey and diagnose the problem correctly. The last thing you want is to waste time and money trying to solve the wrong problem.
Once our experts have assessed the extent of the damage, we will make recommendations tailored to resolving the damp problem in your property.
If we can confirm that you have rising damp, we will typically set up damp barriers running upwards from the floor. We will also inject a damp proofing solution into the areas affected; and cover the walls with a protective membrane, which will help keep your walls damp-free for a long period of time.
From there, if you wish, you can take advantage of our rising damp repair in London services to have your walls replastered and then repainted or covered with new wallpaper.
If you’re working with real experts like our damp specialists here at Environ Property Services, you can be confident that our damp proofing solution will last for 15 to 25 years. That’s part of our guarantee.
How Can You Prevent Rising Damp?
We want your property to remain damp-free for a long time to come. That’s why, as well as treating existing damp issues and damp proofing your premises to ensure your structure is protected, we also give home and business owners expert advice on how to prevent damp in all its forms from recurring, or occurring in the first place.
- Maintain a constant temperature as far as possible
Many damp issues start with inconsistencies in temperature. While there’s no way to control the temperature outdoors, you can control the temperature inside your home.
Ideally, the temperature in the bedroom should be kept at around 16°C to 20°C while the rest of the house should be at around 19°C to 22°C. If you’re leaving the house unoccupied for long periods, try to ensure the temperature is kept above 15°C.
If you decide to alter the temperature, don’t go to extremes. Stay within those ranges to avoid moisture build-up.
- Consider using a dehumidifier
Again, we’re trying to avoid too much moisture in the atmosphere in your home, because this can trigger damp issues. Using a dehumidifier is a good idea in areas around your home that are prone to moisture.
Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from the air, so position them wherever there is likely to be a lot of moisture build-up, like laundry rooms, bathrooms, or the kitchen.
Dehumidifiers come in different sizes and with varying capacitities. Measure the size of the room and how much damp there is. For example, a 300-square foot room with 50% to 70% humidity would probably require a 30-pint dehumidifier.
- Always wipe down surfaces that are prone to moisture
No matter how hard you try to keep moisture levels down, some areas will always experience moisture build-up. Some of the most common areas are surfaces around doors, windows, and sinks, like countertops, window sills, and window panes.
Regularly wipe down these areas, especially if you see condensation developing or water pooling.
The last thing you want to happen is to let damp issues take over. The worse the problem becomes, the harder it is to deal with, so be vigilant when checking for the typical signs.
Avoid going the DIY route, too. This is not something you should experiment with if you’re inexperienced. Remember that damp issues can compromise your health and the safety of your home. That’s why it’s important to call in rising damp specialists in London, no matter how mild you think the problem is.
You can call us here at Environ Property Services for advice and damp treatments on 0203 935 1596.
Different Types Of Damp
Many building problems like wood rot, cracks on concrete, mould, corrosion, and bursting pipes are caused by excess moisture. Experts in humidity proofing in London need to identify the exact problem you’re dealing with before treating it:
- Condensation – commonly caused by moisture build-up in internal spaces from cooking, bathing, and drying clothes.
- Penetrating Rain – the above-ground admission of rainwater via weak points in the structure’s envelope, often affecting south-westerly facing walls.
- Rising damp – moisture rising from the ground penetrates properties’ walls.
- Flooding – contaminants mixed in with floodwater can sometimes be more difficult to address than water damage itself.
How To Diagnose Rising Damp
Rising damp can be difficult to identify, but can result in structural damage if left untreated. Typical signs include:
- Peeling mortar between bricks on the building’s exterior.
- Damp patches on walls.
- Flaky/ aerated plaster.
- Mold on walls and furniture.
- Paint won’t adhere to walls.
- Rotting window frames, skirting boards, or floorboards.
- Stains/tidemarks on walls.
- Lifting wallpaper.
- White powder or crystals appearing on wall surfaces.
When you notice any of these signs, call in a damp expert like Environ Property Services for water proofing in London. We’ll assess your property and address the problem at the source.
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Tips To Prevent Rising Damp
Damp is more common than you think. As soon as you spot condensation build-up in your property, proactively use these simple ways of moisture proofing in London:
- Prevent condensation
- Keep temperatures inside your home constant.
- Use dehumidifiers in bathrooms, kitchens, or basements.
- Wipe down pooling moisture.
- Refrain from home improvements in winter.
- Remove soil resting against external walls.
- Improve ventilation
- Move furniture away from external walls to increase airflow.
- Turn extractor fans on when cooking or bathing.
- Open windows for 15 minutes a day.
- Cover saucepans when cooking.
- Don’t hang wet clothes indoors.
Preventing damp shouldn’t be much of an issue if you hire the right specialist to address the problem. Here at Environ Property Services, we carry out a full damp survey in London to assess the causes and right treatments for your property before starting work, ensuring long-lasting, effective results.
To learn more about dealing with damp and its effects on properties, check out our homepage for tips and the services available for your home.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
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What are the signs of rising damp?
Some of the common signs of rising damp include damp or wet patches appearing on walls, salt formation on plaster surfaces, flaky or bubbly plaster, rotting skirting boards and flooring, crumbling bricks and mortar between bricks, a damp and musty smell, and/ or rusting iron and steel fasteners.
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How much does it cost to fix rising damp?
The cost of fixing rising damp in South West London by installing a damp proof course to the property’s front interior walls is between £280 and £400 for a typical terraced home. The process takes around two days to complete. Call Environ Services Ltd for a more detailed survey and quote.
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How serious is rising damp?
Rising damp in Greater London and beyond can cause anything from superficial damage to an internal wall to structural damage to timber and masonry. Damp breeds mould too, which can result in serious health problems for you and your family.
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What is the best way to treat rising damp?
One of the latest and most effective ways to stop problems with rising damp in London is the use of dryrod damp-proofing rods. These are quickly and simply inserted into the mortar course. There’s no need for specialist tools as there’s no question of any spillage. Once you’ve treated the dampness at its source, the décor can be repaired.
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How do you fix damp problems?
If rising damp occurs in your property, contact rising damp companies in London and they will recommend the right treatment. They may install a damp proof membrane or other form of damp proof course to your walls. If the issue is related to condensation, then using a dehumidifier may offer a temporary fix.
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What's the difference between rising damp and condensation?
Rising damp is caused externally by moisture rising from the ground through walls by capillary action. Rainwater leaks, poor drainage, and defective plumbing are also external sources of damp. Condensation occurs internally when there’s humidity produced by cooking, bathing, drying clothes on radiators, and breathing, for example.
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How quick can rising damp spread?
Rising damp can spread up a structure in as little as a few months if left untreated. In fact, in this timescale, it can rise to a level of around 1.5m if left unchecked or unaddressed by a specialist in rising damp in SW6. The resulting mould also grows quickly, especially in the right conditions (moist, dark, and warm).
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Does opening windows reduce damp?
Yes, this helps reduce build-ups of moisture in areas where you cook, shower, or clean. Opening the window during or after these activities can naturally disperse moisture without affecting the air temperature in the rest of the house, thus preventing condensation from settling on walls, ceilings, and windows in your room.
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Can you paint over rising damp?
Yes, but only after the problem has been addressed by a specialist in rising damp treatments in London. Otherwise, it’ll just recur.
Clean mould off the surface and allow it to dry thoroughly, then apply a damp seal or stain blocker paint so any staining doesn’t bleed through later. Once dry, touch up the area with your chosen colour paint.
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Does cold weather cause damp?
Penetrating damp in London is caused by cold weather. As the temperature goes down, condensation rises, creating moisture on windows and other pockets in the home. You might notice the effects more first thing in the morning. That’s the first clear sign that damp and mould may follow, so address the problem early.
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