Damp proofing offers a reliable and beneficial means of protecting your house or other property from rising damp. Rising damp is a common problem in those homes with poor damp proofing can cause wood rot. It can also encourage insects to attack the wood and may lead to an infestation within your home. While rising damp is one of the most common causes of damp and most often occurs in external walls this isn’t necessarily always the case.
External walls have to put up with many physical and environment pressures and one such pressure is damp. Without an adequate damp proof course, the moisture in the earth is effectively sucked up into the walls themselves and the crystalline salts that are often contained in damp from the soil block the pores within the walls which increases the dampness problems. This can prove especially problematic in walls that are built below ground level so is often evident in basements and cellars as well as other underground structures.
This is the most common, but not the sole cause of dampness in the walls of the home. Broken gutters or poor drainage systems may also lead to dampness. In these cases, the constant running or build up of water which occurs works its way through the bricks and cold and damp both begin to seep through the fabric of the home.
Whatever the cause of damp, it is important that it is acted upon quickly and professionally. Left untreated, a damp problem will quickly worse until it is a major issue. Wood rot is only usually the beginning of the problems as corroded wall ties can cause serious structural damage to a property while the damp itself may release spores which can exacerbate existing breathing problems and cause the onset of such health conditions.
If you spot damp areas on your walls that are discoloured because of rising damp or any other cause of damp then you should act quickly. Employ a professional company to apply a damp proofing course and to ensure that the problem is only local to the area where you found it. You should also ensure that the damp isn’t a symptom of a bigger problem otherwise it will continue to return time and time again.
London-HomeCounties.co.uk offer a range of damp proofing treatments as well as waterproofing and taking for the basement. Call today to discuss our 20 year Assured Guarantee for your damp proofing.