There are two main causes of dampness in your property: rising damp and penetrating damp. Each has different causes and treatments.
Rising Damp
Rising Damp is a very real possibility wherever a wall is in contact with the ground. The soil, which normally has a high moisture content, acts as a reservoir. The evaporation of water from the surfaces of the wall exposed to the air cause the fabric of the wall to act as a ‘sponge’ drawing moisture up from the ground, through the bricks, stone or mortar. Depending on the construction and materials of the wall, serious damage can occur anywhere up to 1.2 metres above ground level.
Lack of, or the presence of an ineffective damp course will inevitably lead to Rising Damp and all the attendant damage that entails.
Penetrating Damp
Penetrating Damp can occur where there are defects in the render such as cracks and/or hollow areas. This can allow water to ingress into your property and saturate the walls. More so a problem with solid construction buildings such as stone or walls with cavity wall installation. As this happens fungi spores are introduced into the property and helped to germinate. From a relatively simple defect, much larger and more devastating problems can then occur.
What’s the worst that can happen?
When the signs of damp become evident – damage has already begun. Dry Rot, Wet Rot, Rising, Lateral and Penetrating Dampness along with condensation, all arise because of unwanted and unnecessary water in buildings.
These conditions create the perfect environment for the growth of fungi and the spread of wood destroying insects. If treatment is delayed for any reason the damage will be much more than cosmetic.The fabric of the building will be damaged and its structural integrity threatened to a point where it will become unsafe. There should be no delay in undertaking remedial work. Delay will incur additional risk and cost.
So what can be done?
At Rochester Building and Damp we can provide a FREE survey, report and quotation which identifies the cause of damp and a singular quoted cost to complete all remedial works.
