Damp proofing, wet rot, woodworm and property refurbishment services in Dorset and Hampshire
Identifying different types of damp can be tricky. From condensation to penetrating damp, we help you identify the type of damp affecting your property.
Did you know that there are several types of damp? Rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation are just three of the most common types of damp that can affect your home.
Each type of damp needs to be treated in separate ways, so it is therefore important to accurately identify what type of damp your home may be suffering from, before a solution is implemented.
Rising damp is caused by ground water moving up through a wall or floor. Most walls and floors allow some water in, but it is usually prevented from causing damage due to the process of damp proofing being implemented.
One of the most common signs of rising damp is the presence of tidemarks on your walls. These are caused by evaporation and salts from the ground. These tide marks tend to be brown or yellow in colour and tend to be at height of around1 metre above the skirting board.
You can also expect to have wallpaper peeling off the walls, this typically tends to occur in and around the skirting board again. You can also expect to see aspects of decay in the skirting boards too. Look out for areas that are cracked, that crumble or even show signs of mould or fungus on it.
You may even see some evidence of salts within the plaster which are identified by white fully patches in the plaster which can appear on the affected walls. In more extreme cases, you may see black mould appearing on the lower parts of the walls too.
Rising damp is one of the most complex types of damp to deal with, so we would recommend that you speak to the team at Croft Preservation about how we can resolve the issue of rising damp for you. Prevention is always better than cause, so you may want to consider implementing a course of damp proofing to any walls that haven’t received a damp-proof course. You could also consider tanking your walls which effectively seals the walls so that no moisture can get in.
Penetrating damp is one of the most common types of damp which can occur in properties. This is most commonly caused by water leaking through walls, usually by leaking pipes and damaged or poorly maintained brickwork which may require re-pointing. Sometimes, there can be a due to a deterioration of water management systems and mortar joints too which cause penetrating damp.
Penetrating damp is also typically caused by the likes of faulty guttering, cracks in the wall and sometimes internal leaks too.
Tell-tale signs of penetrating damp can include damp patches on walls that do no dry/air out, a musty damp smell, a roof that is leaking and damaged timber. You also may notice watermarks on your walls too that get darker when it rains.
Firstly, it is imperative to identify what is causing the penetrating damp in the first instance. Sometimes this can be difficult, so you want to consider having a penetrating damp specialist visit your property to assess and make appropriate recommendations.
Condensation is one of the most common types of damp, according to a survey from Which? 31% of members reported that they had experienced issues with condensation. It is predominantly caused by moist air condensing on walls, this is especially prevalent on walks in bathrooms and kitchens, which tend to have more moisture.
You may spot water droplets occurring on walls and windows is evidence that condensation is occurring. Sometimes, dark mould areas can be present as well and can have an unpleasant smell too.
In the first instance, we would recommend wiping it away with a soft cloth and using tools like fans and dehumidifiers to help reduce the likelihood of condensation occurring in the future. It is also important to keep your home ventilated, so keep windows open where possible and use extractor fans in the kitchen.If you have single glazing, this can be a contributing factor to increased condensation, so you may want to review the possibility of double glazing which will also help reduce noise and retain heat too.
Confused about condensation? We can help – we will undertake an in-depth survey assessment and will provide you with a set of recommendations to remedy this moving forward.
For every damp problem, there is a solution, so why not contact the Croft Preservation team on 01202 737739 for further information.
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