Damp Proofing your Home
Dampness in your property can vary depending on where it is present, however, there are a number of symptoms that can give an indicator of what homeowners should look out for before deciding to give a professional surveyor a call to take a look.
The aroma of damp, musty smell is often a common and clear indication that there is a damp problem present. Black mould growth is also a common sign except for cases where there is rising damp. The size of the growth can vary, however, this is dependent on the scale of the problem. The black mould occurs in areas of the property where there is high moisture content and the surfaces are unable to dry out such as wallpapers and skirting boards. The wallpaper will appear detached, discoloured and the skirting boards will be broken and brittle. It is important to note that skirting boards may also conceal the problem behind them and the problem will only become apparent on the face of the skirting once considerable damage has been done behind the scenes.
With there being so many different types of damp issues that can affect your home, there are a range of damp proofing techniques that can be used to protect your property. Two techniques that can be used for protection from dampness are Electro Osmosis and WeatherTek system.
Electro-Osmosis process starts with a series of holes are drilled into the outside brickwork just above ground level. Titanium anodes are then inserted into the drilled holes, which are linked by a connecting wire that is ‘pointed’ into the wall. A very small, but perfectly safe, electrical current is passed through anodes and the connecting wire. The effect of the charge is to repel the rising water molecules down the walls and harmlessly back into the ground. Providing that this tiny positive charge is maintained the protected walls will remain dry and damp free.
WeatherTek is based on carefully selected silanes and silaoxines which line the pores of masonry to form a water-repellent silicone coating. The pores are lined instead of blocked allowing the masonry to breathe so it doesn’t suffer from the increased risk of frost damage. WeatherTek has a unique formula that penetrates deep into the masonry allowing it to be highly resistant to UV light and other forms of degradation.
This masonry protection system is highly protective against water penetrating through the pores of bricks, mortar and stone. It will provide protection against rain penetrating through small cracks in the masonry.
Finding the correct damp solution for your property is dependent on what type of dampness has occurred. It is vital to correctly identify the damp problem so that the correct damp proofing solution can be put into place. Seeking advice from a specialist surveyor is imperative to achieving the right solution to your damp problem.