If damp is taking over your home, it’s essential that you take action quickly.
Not only is damp an eyesore but it can have detrimental effects on your health as well, leading to respiratory conditions and worsening allergy symptoms.
Unfortunately, damp proof courses often go missing or damaged and need replacing if they’re not functioning correctly.
To remedy the situation, injecting a damp proof cream into the brickwork or replacing it completely with a new one are two options.
Internal Damp Proofing doesn’t really work
Dampness in a home can be an enormous issue, particularly as damp walls reduce heat insulation and promote mould growth. Not only is it unsightly and damaging to the property, but it may also have adverse effects on its inhabitants’ health.
Mould can produce an unpleasant musty odour and chill the air inside your home, making it uncomfortable to live in. Furthermore, the spores found in mould may be harmful for people suffering from respiratory conditions like asthma or allergies.
The most efficient way to damp proof a wall internally is by installing a membrane. These membranes are made from high density polyethylene and impervious to water and salts, as well as being flexible and straightforward to install, if you are competent at DIY, although it’s not as easy as it sounds.
They are usually installed along with a new DPC or after installation of the damp proof course to prevent penetrating damp from entering walls. They can be installed over timber battens, dry-lining frame or block wall construction.
The problem is, that with internal damp proofing, you have NOT cured the damp, you have just blocked it from entering the room.
The cause of the damp will still exist and may get worse and damp proofing is a very important home improvement.
External Damp Proofing is the most effective way to stop dampness.
Damp proofing external walls is the best way to keep damp out of a building, though this must be combined with thorough interior drying. Unfortunately, damp proofing an exterior of a property can be challenging so it’s usually best to hire an expert for assistance.
Damp proofing your walls externally is not usually a DIY job.
Penetrating damp is often caused by problems with cavity walls and poor or crumbling mortar, particularly in older properties where the masonry substrate becomes porous.
In such cases, a chemical damp-proof course (DPC) can be applied to the wall as a physical barrier and keep rising damp from entering into the structure. Damp will also lower your home’s resale value.
However, this remedy may not be effective for all damp issues, especially not penetrating damp, and it could potentially cause structural damage to a building if not done correctly.
Therefore, it’s always advised to get a damp survey conducted prior to applying any treatments.
Wall Coatings are the most effective way to cure damp
Wall coatings are an increasingly popular solution for damp proofing walls, as they offer several advantages.
These include weather protection, never fade colours and the capacity to cure penetrating damp.
Exterior wall coating systems are usually applied thicker than standard exterior paint (up to 40 times thicker depending on the system), providing better protection from weather extremes and UV rays that can drastically reduce the life of a traditional paint coat.
An exterior wall coating system requires a tough-wearing flexible resin to hold everything together. Common resin types include Pliolite, Alkyd or Polyester resins.
These systems come in a range of textures to help conceal unsightly scars or surface appearance differences that may exist on walls. Furthermore, they produce an uniform appearance which could increase the value of a property.
Damp proofing your walls is an integral step in avoiding water damage to your home.
Not only will it shield belongings from harm, but it also enhances the aesthetic appeal of your residence.
Damp is a common issue for homeowners and can be caused by many things. It may lead to damp patches on your walls, musty odours and an overall decreased sense of warmth in your home.
Typically, the best way to damp proof a wall is to address the source of the problem.
That could be an leaking pipe, roof or gutter or more commonly, poorly maintained exterior walls.
The most efficient damp proofing method for rising damp, is installing a chemical damp proof course (DPC). These are usually installed vertically through brickwork or masonry to prevent moisture from rising up.
The most effective way to cure penetrating damp is to have an exterior wall coating applied to your home.
In summary these are your right and wrong options to get rid of damp.
- Ignore the problem and hope it goes away? Sorry it will NOT go away, in fact it will get worse, along with your health, and will cost you far more in the future if you ignore the problem.
- Get a dehumidifier? Again this will not work, it will help a little bit in reducing the ambient moisture in the room, but it will not cure the damp. The SOURCE of the damp must be cured. Also your electricity bill will shoot up depending on how much you use it.
- Open the windows and ventilate the house? Don’t be daft. This misnomer is often trotted out by keyboard warriors online, and also greedy landlords who don’t want to pay to maintain your home. Better ventilation will help to reduce the risk of damp forming, but again unless the source of the issue is fixed, you are wasting your time.
- Internal damp proofing? Again this has limited success, especially with stuff such as dry lining a room. You are just shielding the damp from entering the room but it is still there and will get worse and will eventually eat its way through the dry lining boards. …along with……
- Interior damp proof paint? A waste of money and a false sense of security. Your damp and mould is coming from OUTSIDE the building. Damp is WATER. If you damp proof one section of wall, the damp (water) will flow and find another place to emerge. Meanwhile that water in the bricks of the wall will freeze in winter and undermine the structural integrity of the house.
- DPC, having a new injected damp proof course? Yes, however, this will cure rising damp only, which is a start, but it will not cure penetrating damp and you may still find mould growing on upper parts of interior walls.
- A damp proof exterior wall coating. Now this system WILL cure damp and mould permanently, and will come with a 20 year guarantee. It will also lower your home heating bills and stop interior walls from feeling cold, even with the heating on. A wall coating is available in transparent, and coloured versions.
If your house suffers from dampness and you are looking for a quick, cheap solution, please do NOT contact us!
If you are actually taking the damp issue seriously, and would like to investigate the damp proofing options open to you, then please DO contact us and ask about a free damp survey.
Our surveyor is armed with a range of damp proofing solutions, which are competitive priced but there is no cheap option, sorry, but you are going to have to dip in your pocket to sort the problem out.
Damp will not only affect the comfort of your house, more importantly, it will negatively affect your health, something that you cannot put a price on.
To find out about damp proofing your house, call the team on 0800 970 4928
