More about Damp
Learn more about Damp with DAMPFINDA
Buying a new Home ?
BEFORE SIGNING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE FOR YOUR DREAM HOME
Take a moment and make sure that there is no dampness present, some sellers go to great lengths to hide the dampness.
Then once the offer to purchase has been signed the recourse to repair the damp becomes problematic as to who is liable for the payment.
Damp as far as I know must be declared, but unlike an electrician, there is no COC (Certificate of Clearance) issued.
Save yourself a lot of heartache and time with lawyers and sellers should your newly purchased home have a damp problem.
Purcashed a New Home that had suspended wooden flooring ?
WHY?
Chances are you have rising dampness in all or most interior and exterior walls.
REASON BEING
Contractors removing the suspended flooring and filling the void beneath the floor will seldom waterproof the weir walls (walls below the suspended flooring) before filling the void. The weir walls act like a wick pulling moisture from the fill and creating rising dampness.
HOW?
Air brick around the home allowed air to flow beneath the floor keeping the void dry. DPCs are not commonly found in suspended floor walls.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Blistering of paint above the skirting boards, discoloration of paint at the base of the walls, rusty nails in the skirtings, and wet patches near the base of the walls.
WHAT TO DO?
Signs of Damp Problems
1. Blistering and discoloration of paint on the walls.
2. Cracks in the plaster (reveals and walls).
3. Different textures in the plaster on the walls, usually an indication of a scrape-polyfilla and repaint.
4. Fresh paint on the wall.
5. New wallpaper.
6. Cladding on the walls.
7. Rust on window and door frames.
8. Black mold on the ceiling and cornices.
9. Musky odors in cupboards.
10. Salts (white powder) on the grouting between tiles.
Do you have a Damp issue on the interior walls, although you have a facebrick home( No exterior plaster )
We seal face brick homes to prevent dampness from entering your home.
If your face brick home is cold you could have moisture in the walls, same as wearing a wet shirt it takes a long time for the walls to dry out from sunlight.
When & Why must Plaster on the walls with Damp be replaced
As moisture enters the plaster, it carries minerals from water and building materials in the form of salts (efflorescence).
After the moisture evaporates the salt crystals remain in the plaster and multiply in size overnight.
Eventually, the salt buildup pushes the plaster and decorative coats off the wall.
Should the option of a scrape and repaint over the damp be selected, be aware that any form of moisture re-entering the plaster irrespective of the amount of moisture entering will encourage the salts to re-appear on the affected plaster.
This needs to be removed and replaced with a salt retarding chemical added to the plaster mix. Before replastering it is essential to isolate the cause of the dampness and install preventative measures to prevent dampness from entering the affected area.
Ensure that the remaining plaster is dry and uncontaminated. Salts once airborne may be hazardous to your health.
Why Does Painting over Damp not last ?
Moisture enters the walls via the mortar bed between the bricks, selecting a path of least resistance. The walls remain damp with no way for the moisture to escape but to spread further via capillary action.
Painting over damp traps moisture in the wall encouraging dampness to spread increasing repair costs.
DAMPFINDA can offer alternative repair options to save time and repair costs.
Causes of Damp in Kitchen Cupboards
Once the timber gets wet it grows mold which omits a bad damp odour.
The timber is porous and moisture remains in the timber for a long time.
It is best to replace damp timber before it spreads into the unaffected timber boards.
1. Check seals around the sink (silicone).
2. Leaking pipes or connections under the sink.
3. Countertops seal against the wall (silicone).
4. Penetrating dampness from the exterior wall.
5. Rising damp from no dampproofing course in the wall.
6. Window frame seals allow moisture ingress.
