Types of Damp
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The Different Types Of Damp
There are many kinds of damp, occurring for various reasons, but they all have the same effect: mould and property damage.
If you are not sure what kind of damp you have in your property, our London damp specialists will be glad to help you distinguish it and tell you what has caused it.
irst, there is what we call ‘penetrating damp’, which is also called water ingress. This is water that has entered your building from outside or due to leaks in the plumbing.
When a property’s floor, ceiling, or walls gets penetrated by water, it will be soaked with moisture, leading to severe growth of mould.
If the water comes from the ground, it will cause more damage, as it contains hygroscopic salts. This will attract more water and absorb it into the structure of your property.
When this happens, your house will attract wood-boring beetles and other insects, forcing you to replace your timbers entirely.
Penetrating damp will also result in mould growth and may even cause or worsen health issues like asthma. Not only will you need to spend on property repairs but deal with medical issues too.
Then there’s lateral damp. This is due to groundwater entering your property through cracks in the building, which is why most basements are cold and damp.
Houses located in places with high water levels are more susceptible to this kind of problem.
Lateral damp is just as damaging, and if untreated, it can harm the structure of your property, weakening the foundation of the entire building.
It may also cause electrical shocks if the moisture hits internal wiring, which can be dangerous for you and your family.
To prevent this, your house’s basement should have reliable tanking systems as per existing building regulations. But if you feel like your cellar is too damp, don’t just assume that it is caused by lateral damp.
Lateral damp is often confused with rising damp, as they both show similar symptoms. While both should be fixed as soon as possible, there is a specific kind of treatment for each.
A London damp specialist will treat the former with tanking solutions, while the latter will be fixed with damp proofing techniques.
It is best to call recommended damp specialists to confirm the type of problem your property is facing so you can address it immediately.
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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A woodworm is a wood-eating species of larvae that is laid by various types of insects, particularly the common furniture beetle. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae will begin burrowing tunnels into the wood searching for nutrients and creating tunnels so that, eventually, they can fly out of the wood as adults. The term woodworm itself is used to describe the damaging effect on wood and timber from the infestation of these larvae. Small holes are created throughout timber and wood structures, and, if left untreated, woodworm can cause serious timber damage and can create a long-lasting effect on the framework of a property.
If you notice any of these symptoms, then there is a good chance that you are experiencing woodworm in your property, and it is time to call in the professionals at Environ Property Services to solve your problem.
An untreated woodworm infestation can lead to the structural integrity of timbers within a building becoming compromised. The extent of damage to timber which woodworm can cause may result in long term implications for the structural framework of your property.
DAMP SURFACES
Your home may be free of structural damp, but moisture in the air can still settle on your home’s surfaces via condensation. You won’t experience any severe structural damage with this kind of damp, but it can cause mould and other allergens to accumulate in your home.
For these kinds of issues, we at Environ Property Services can damp-proof your home by installing a PIV unit. These are low-cost, easily installed pieces of equipment that can ventilate your residence with fresh air, driving out all of the moisture and allergens from your home.
PIV units are far less expensive than alternatives such as MHVR units and full-house air conditioning.
Moreover, we offer the most affordable PIV installation in the country, letting you get rid of the problem for a very low cost.
SIGNS OF DAMP IN A HOUSE
Several signs tell you your house is suffering from damp. One of the most common indications is a mouldy smell. You will also see mildew appearing on your walls, ceilings, and floors, and they may also feel cold or damp.
Moreover, dark patches may appear on your walls and plaster, which will result in lifting or peeling wallpaper. You may also see excessive moisture on your windows.
Water may enter your cellar. To prevent this from happening, you can ask a damp specialist to conduct a basement tanking inspection.
If you suspect your house of having damp issues, you can confirm it with a London damp proofing survey from us.
CAUSES OF DAMP
Many things cause dampness in your home. If you find the source of the problem quickly, you can prevent it from worsening.
A damp specialist can provide you with a thorough waterproof tanking assessment, and many other services to discover the causes of the damp in your property. Here are some of the major ones:
Humidity or air moisture condensation – Using energy-saving methods such as double-glazing to reduce ventilation in an old house may cause too much humidity. Moreover, activities like washing, cooking, or bathing can contribute to the production of large amounts of vapour.
Rain penetration – The outer areas of your home are vulnerable to rain penetration, especially if they are poorly maintained. For instance, the junctions in timber roofs may suffer from damp because water damages wear out lead flashings, mortar fillets, hips, or ridges.
Internal spillage – This can occur for several reasons, such as leaks from dishwashers and washing machines, burst pipes, deterioration of pipe joints, overflowing showers and baths, and more.
There are many other causes of damp, so be sure to hire a professional damp surveyor to find out what is causing your particular problem. Our company has several positive independent damp survey reviews, so you can feel comfortable placing your trust in us to deal with the complicated issue of damp.
TIPS ON DEALING WITH DAMP PROBLEMS Here are some tips to mitigate the harmful effects of damp
Regular outdoor maintenance Since a lot of damp problems come from external factors, conducting regular outdoor maintenance will go a long way. Always inspect your roof for damage, especially after storms. Make sure to clear your gutters of any leaves and other debris, and have any damaged parts replaced as soon as possible. Gutter guards are also a great help in keeping your gutters nice and clean.
Good home ventilation Having a well-ventilated home will help clear any moisture from your property. This is especially crucial during colder months when the humidity is much higher. Keep your windows open as often as possible and inspect your washers and dryers to ensure they are properly vented. Having an extractor fan in your bathroom and kitchen will help expel moisture from the area.
Proper air circulation It’s crucial to position your furniture a few centimetres away from walls so that air can circulate. This prevents condensation, and eventually mould, from forming on the surfaces that come into contact with each other. These are just a few helpful things you can do to ward off damp from your home. For severe cases, however, the help of a London damp proofing company is vital. When damp starts to damage the structural integrity of your building, only our damp proofing experts will be able to fix it. We also have a team of cellar waterproofing professionals and provide tanking services! Don’t hesitate to contact us. To get a professional damp survey, request your call back today!
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