Damp Walls

DAMP

The problem of damp walls can affect any building any time, and if it is left untreated, it just gets worse. Usually, damp is caused by one of four things. Either, a building has design defects that can cause the damp to creep in, or it is poorly maintained. In some cases, poor build quality can affect the quality of the walls or the building fabric deteriorates, causing a serious damp problem. In all of these cases, the problem of damp can be dealt with, though some methods are more expensive than others.

If you have a damp problem in a building you own or rent and you don’t get it treated, it will start getting worse and worse until the repairs are so expensive, you may have to take out a second mortgage to get them done. Damp also causes damage to the interior of your home, to paint jobs and a serious disruption to those in your house or building. Untreated damp may also cause other problems like dry or wet rot. The longer damp is left untreated, the more damage it may cause to internal decorations and disruption to homeowners.

TYPES OF DAMP

Rising Damp

Rising damp is the most common problem that homeowners experience and describes a state where the base of the wall has a high moisture content. This causes damp to rise up the walls and damages decorations such as paint and plaster. In this case, the plaster will begin to blister and disintegrate or may have a layer of salt caking it. If damp affects the skirting boards, they will start to rot, as will any wood that is affected by the high moisture content.

In extreme cases, the damp may spread to a second floor and this is very expensive to fix. However, damp can be avoided. If you damp proof your home, you can avoid a lot of the problems that damp causes. You have to ensure though that the damp proofing applied is of a high quality and is applied correctly, because if it fails to work, it will causes huge problems. In some cases, a build-up of rubble can cause damp too, especially if it exists between walls. In this case, the moisture inside the rubble spreads to the walls and the heat of a closed cavity can cause it to spread. If not enough air is circulated in this space, damp will rise. Leaking water pipes can also cause damp.

So how do you know if you have a damp problem? Well, this is something that needs to be determined by a qualified quantity surveyor, but you may notice some of the signs yourself. A professionally trained specialist can check for damp and makes recommendations for getting rid of it, and preventing damp in the future.

Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp is another problem that people experience usually because of damp conditions outside of a building. This is caused by moisture that moves from the outside inside and can cause discolouration and damp marks on the walls. It can also damage plaster and cause paint to blister and peel. Any outdoor wooden floors you have will begin to rot and you may notice a terrible mouldy smell, almost like spoiled food.

Generally, penetrating damp will only be caused by two things. Either, the building has certain defects that cause the damp, including baldy fitted windows, faulty gutters, defective roofs or cracked bricks, or damp will penetrate from the outside to the inside that is on a lower level, such as in basements or underground garages.

Fighting Damp

Combatting the problems caused by damp is as simple as doing some basic damp proofing. There are a number of ways in which you can do this, but professionals recommend that you don’t try to do it yourself. You can install a chemical injected damp proof course throughout the house, but will have to re-plaster the whole walls.

You can also install a system of structural waterproofing to stop damp from infiltrating your home, though again, this is something you should get a professional to do for you. The most effective way of getting rid of damp is by using a water-based silicone injection that seals off walls and stops the damp from moving. Of course, this depends on where the damp is, how thick the walls are and a host of other factors.

Thick walls have to be drilled to insert the silicone, and the correct depth has to be determined. Once this is done, the solution is injected into the wall and restricts the movement of water. A damp proofing fluid and a damp proofing membrane are not the same thing. As the name implies, a membrane is a barrier that is created but still allows some things through, similar to your skin. The silicone you use to prevent damp is a membrane, so though it will restrict the path of water, it does allow air through.

Once the wall has been damp-proofed, it must be re-plastered which is no easy feat. To re-plaster, you have to coat the wall with a backing coat that has a waterproof additive in it. A gypsum coat is then put over that to prevent any other damage, and to give the wall a smooth finish. To ensure there is no damage to your furniture, it is advised to cover everything before you re-plaster.

Before you decorate the new plaster, you will have to wait at least two weeks. This is so that the plaster can dry adequately, so that you have no future problems with damp. Only water based paints should be used to decorate the wall. Stay away from vinyl. If you plan to put up wallpaper, you will have to give the wall at least a year to dry. This may sound excessive, but if you don’t, you will end up re-plastering again.

DAMP PROOFING METHODS

Structural Water Proofing

Structural waterproofing is another method of dealing with damp. This involves using a single membrane that allows water to drain, thus keeping it away from the walls. It works by applying the membrane to the walls and floor of a room affected by damp, thereby isolating that area and stopping damp from spreading. The moisture stays between the wall and the membrane and is channelled into a drain. In this way, you can keep damp away from your walls, avoid structural damage and other problems later on.

Damp is a serious problem, but flooding is one that you definitely do not want to face. If your property has flooded or if it seems as though flooding is imminent, there is one solution that will work: a sump pump. A sump pump is usually installed to collect water that creeps in below floor level. It then pumps the water outside through a drain. Membranes are also used in this case to keep damp away from the walls and floors, and these allow the water to drain.

 

Specialists
Any good specialist will be able to tell you that the most important thing to consider when using a sump pump or a membrane is that you have to consider the layout of the house and other factors such as ventilation. It is vital to think about ventilation because of the warmth created by moisture. Excess humidity can be a big problem and cause rotting and funny smells. Thus a contractor will have to either install an extractor fan, or use natural ventilation to their advantage. Without ventilation, you risk being exposed to excess condensation, in which case you will still experience damp.

This is a very popular method of dealing with flooding, both for properties that are above ground and below ground level. They are usually done in such a manner that your life is not disrupted for too long, and the specialists will use materials to help the area dry quickly.

Tanking
In some cases, a professional may recommend that you try cementitious tanking. This is another method of damp proofing and involves coating the walls with an impermeable substance to stop the damp from coming through. This effectively traps any damp inside the wall, and stops it from penetrating the paint and plaster.

This is an exceptionally good method to use if you live in a humid area, such as near a big body of water. It helps keep moisture out, but sadly won’t be much help in the case of flooding, so be sure to have any damp wall problems analysed by a professional.

With this method, three cementitious coats are applied to the wall at separate intervals. Once these are dried, the wall is re-plastered. It is at this point that the owner of the property will need to analyse where the water is coming from. In the case of a problem with the building, a builder or plumber may need to be contracted to deal with the problem. They will also need to check for decay in any wooden elements of the house or mould on the pipes. But once the problem has been dealt with and all of the cementitious coats and plaster have dried, you can decorate your home as normal.

If the problem is caused by the level of the house, you may need to call someone in to lower the external ground level. This is an expensive solution and should only be used when you have tried everything else. In many cases, just using a good damp proofing method will do a lot more good than digging up your entire garden.

Many people experience damp wall only in one room, the basement. In this case, a basement that is below ground level will be affected by damp seeping in from the outside, but this can be taken care of quite easily. A waterproofing or tanking system can take care of any damp and give you back the use of your basement. You can then transform it from a damp, dark storage space into a game room or another bedroom.

Before you undertake any waterproofing in your basement, you will need to talk to a professional. A good surveyor will be able to analyse what your basement needs and then design a waterproofing system that suits your needs and your budget. In many cases, they will recommend combining damp proofing methods so that you are assured of a dry and habitable space.

Damp proofing is commonly used method of taking care of your home and though it not something that many people think about when they buy their first home, it is vital to take it into consideration. If you are considering purchasing a home, you need to be able to look for signs of rising and penetrating damp, or you may be left with problems that cost you a fortune to fix. One great thing about identifying damp in this way, is that it may help you drive down the price of a property you are hoping to buy, but you should also keep in mind that damp is not a problem you can deal with in a few years. Damp is one of those things that need to be addressed as soon as it is identified, or it may affect just about everything else in your home.

To avoid structural damage, paint damage, rot and a host of other problems, talk to a professional about getting the damp walls in your home treated. Whatever you do, make sure that you get it dealt with as quickly as possible so that you can enjoy your home for years to come. Dealing with damp is not difficult and in many cases, not too expensive either. However, the price of not dealing with it when the problem arises can be very high. If you suspect that your house may be affected by damp, or have identified excessive moisture in your home, speak to a professional today and find out what your options are. It may seem irritating in the short term but in the long run, years down the line when you are enjoying a warm and comfortable home, you will be glad you did it.