What are the most common causes of damp?

Damaged or blocked gutters

Blocked, badly fitted and damaged gutters are a very common cause of damp; when your gutters are blocked, water is not effectively channelled away will instead spill over the eaves and run down your walls. Over time, this can lead to penetrating damp as your wall becomes saturated, and you may start to spot signs of this on the interior walls of your house as it soaks through.

Leaky pipes

Most people’s homes have quite an extensive plumbing system – from kitchens to bathrooms, there’s a lot of room for something to go wrong. Leaky pipes are another common cause of damp. A good way to tell the difference between a damp problem caused by plumbing and a damp problem caused by structural problems, cracks or guttering is to observe whether or not the damp gets worse during heavy rain. If your damp problem remains consistent then it’s likely to be plumbing related, whilst if it gets worse during rain, it’s likely to be to do with an external issue.

Condensation

Condensation is perhaps the most common cause of damp there is, especially during winter when people are more likely to keep their windows closed to stay cosy. Condensation occurs due to a lack of ventilation, which allows moisture to condense on internal walls, with the effects most commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms where there is a lot of air moisture. If you notice water droplets on the inside of your windows, it’s a good sign that you don’t have enough ventilation in your home and so are at risk of damp.

Rising damp

Rising damp is usually easier to identify because it is only ever found on the ground floor and moves from the bottom of your wall upwards to a potential height of around a metre. Rising damp is caused by ground water moving through and up your external wall, especially when the wall is below ground level. Rising damp is usually prevented by a damp proof course or membrane, and if you are experiencing rising damp, then it's likely that you either don't have one or yours is ineffective and needs replacing.

• How to identify a damp problem in your home
  
• The effects of rising damp in your home
• The effects of poor ventilation

If you’ve spotted signs of damp in your home, whatever the effects and source, we have the solution. We are experienced damp proofing experts and can tackle the heart of your damp problem so that it doesn’t happen again. Contact us on 01202 737739.