If you are a new homeowner, you may not have heard of damp before or indeed Damp Hero. Damp is the build up of moisture on your property. It occurs when there is either a rapid rise in the amount of moisture entering the building or a slow local build-up of moisture exacerbated by its failure to disperse.
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Damp appears as a dark spot on your walls or ceiling, with moisture visible on the affected walls or ceiling, depending on the severity of the issue. It is often accompanied by
NB: Mould may pose serious health concerns. People who live in mouldy conditions often complain of respiratory issues.
Breathing difficulties, a tense chest, coughing, and wheezing are also possible symptoms. These signs are generally moderate, but if you are exposed to mould spores for an extended period of time, they can become chronic.
Once you have spotted damp signs around your home, then it's time to contact a professional. Serious damp problems may require that you consult a qualified surveyor to give you a quote on how much it will cost you to treat the damp. The good news, though, is that treating a damp wall is easy and will take little to no time.
There are three main types of damp:
It is a type of dampness that occurs when ground water rises up your walls. The ground water rises through the brickwork through capillary action.
Lack of appropriate damp-proof course often results in rising damp. It is a form of waterproofing that prevents water from penetrating your internal walls by capillary action in the external bricks. Another cause of rising damp is a damaged damp proof course.
Although penetrating damp spreads horizontally in your home, rising damp spreads vertically across interior walls, moving from the floor to half-way up the wall and, in some cases, all the way to the ceiling. External walls, just like internal walls, may be affected by rising moisture.
The damp proof courses may fail over time, especially in older houses. However, in most buildings, it may remain intact, but bridging may occur. This is where damp rises from the ground level, causing damp walls.
Examples where this may happen include:
The tell tale signs of rising damp are:
Condensation occurs when moist air comes into contact with a cold surface. The excess moisture in the air condenses on cold surfaces, such as walls, resulting in the formation of tiny water droplets. It can be attributed to ventilation problems; as a result of lack of constant air flow in the property.
It's mostly caused by showers or cooking steam that cannot escape. Most damp walls in modern buildings are a result of condensation. It affects
Penetrating damp, also known as lateral damp, occurs as a result of water seeping in through the external wall and into the house. It's usually caused by structural problems in a building, such as faulty guttering, defective building material or porous walls.
If left untreated, it can cause further deterioration to the fabric of your home, including damage to ceilings, floors and walls. It can also cause rot to timbers. The damp gets worse with heavy rainfall, especially if you have defective renders or gutters.
You can find signs of this type of damp where the external level of the ground is higher than the internal one. Basements and cellars are also common areas. The first signs usually are a wet patch that grows as water continues to leak in and mould.
Now that you figured out that the problem behind the damp smell could be the various types of damp we've discussed. Walls are the most common places to find damp problems and therefore should be the first step in treating damp.
Below are some helpful solutions and pointers when dealing with damp on internal walls.
Here are the ways you can treat rising damp.
Getting a new one may cost around fourteen hundred pounds. The cost depends on the size of your walls, the kind of damp you have and the extent of the damage.
This may involve the use of damp proof cream. It's among the most effective and economical ways to treat rising damp is with a damp proofing injection cream. It's made of water and silicon and contains highly concentrated ingredients designed to treat rising damp. The cream penetrated the mortar bed and into the bricks, forming a permanent barrier.
Using a masonry protection cream such as Stormdry can help prevent rain penetration. It acts as a suitable render and protects against damp without affecting the visual appearance of your brickwork.
A simple solution to fixing damp is repairing broken parts as soon as the damage occurs. Damaged windows are notorious for allowing water to seep through, so ensure you fix any broken parts. Also, make sure the drip grooves on the window wills aren't blocked or broken.
Don't forget to unblock gutters and drain pipes.
Bricks eventually get damaged as time passes. Once they become porous, it's time to remove and replace them. You will also need to replace other parts such as plasterwork and rotting timbers.
Sometimes a condensation problem may be so severe that you will need professional help. This may require electric ventilation, such as an extractor fan. Installing air vents through internal walls or sealed chimneys will help improve air flow in your house.
Adding ventilation vents to the top of your window frames will also help combat your damp issues.
Sometimes the central heating in your home may contribute to an increase in damp walls around your house. Sudden rises and drops in temperature can exacerbate the problem. Having your heating on a constant low will help reduce damp air.
Consistent insulation also helps in treating damp. Consider installing a cavity wall or loft insulation. Be sure to get a professional to do the job since some cavity walls can be the cause of damp, though it's a rare occurrence.
Energy-saving measures that reduce ventilation in old buildings such as double-glazing increase damp. Double-glazed windows let in too much cold compared to single-glazed ones, making them more likely to allow moisture droplets to form.
A great way to reduce moisture and damp air is by opening windows. Invest in vented tumble dryers. They use a hose to extract water and moisture and should be placed near enough to an outside wall or window for the hose to reach through.
Leaks from washing machines or dishwashers contribute to the formation of rising damp. Regular maintenance minimizes this risk.
Here a few tips on how to treat rising damp on internal walls and prevent mould growth:
Below are some helpful for those who already have it and want tips on how to remove mould:
Damp proofing walls involves installing a damp seal to prevent damp patches from expanding. A damp seal is a type of paint designed to protect against damp walls. Internal walls should be warm and dry to touch if there is no rising damp.
Quick reminder: Damp proofing should not be used as an alternative to fixing a damp wall.
Damp is a common issue in many homes. There are three varieties: rising damp, condensation and penetrating damp. Common signs that you might have damp on your walls include:
It occurs on interior walls but can even extend to external walls. Contact Damp Hero today for technical advice and more information on how to treat damp.
