Press/News

One of the most common forms of dampness that people come across is penetrating damp. Penetrating dampness is usually caused by the movement of water through the walls from the outside of the building. Generally it tends to affect older buildings but not exclusively.

The causes of penetrating damp

There are 2 main causes of penetrating damp problems in buildings – Lateral penetrating damp and building defects.

Lateral penetrating damp

This is caused when the external ground against the wall is above the internal floor level.

Penetrating damp from building defects

There are many issues that fit into this category. Defective roof coverings, poorly fitted windows and door frames, cracked brick work and faulty guttering and downpipes (as can be seen in our photo!). For more photos of dampness check out our Timberwise Facebook page.

Identifying penetrating damp

There are a number of tell tales signs to help property owners determine if they have a penetrating damp problem. These signs include:

- Damage to internal decoration

- Damage to plaster work

- Signs of wet rot and decay on skirting boards and floor timbers

- Localised damp patches. Random patches of damp and varying heights that show no signs of drying out.

- Mould growth. Normally accompanied with a must smell and spoilt internal decorations. (Mould can be removed with a mould removal kit)

Tips to prevent penetrating damp

The following tips are designed to give a little guidance on what to look for is you suspect a penetrating damp problem.

- Check Downpipes, gutters, flashing, rendering and window frames for sign of damage.

- Downpipes should always be clear to allow good water flow.

- Replace any damaged guttering.

- If the rendering is cracked as well as re-sealing any gaps that may be evident around window frames.

- Check window sills and in particular the drip groove. This is designed to shed rain water prior to it reaching the house wall. Any dirt of forms of blockage on the drip groove need to be removed.

Further penetrating damp help

Should you require advice call your local Timberwise office on 0800 288 8660 to arrange a damp survey or complete our on-line dampness survey request form. Our surveyor will visit the property at a time convenient to you and give an experts opinion on how to solve your damp problem.

A well known store recently contacted our Timberwise Manchester team to have a look at a fan in a laundry room that did not appear to be working. As the room was used mainly for ironing it was subjected to high humidity (as a result of the steam) and without the ventilation unit working the threat of mould and loss of decoration was looming.

Our ventilation expert took a look at the unit – which externally appeared fine. Power was running to the unit and externally nothing appeared to be wrong so he decide to turn the power off to the unit and look a little closer.

What he saw next explained the reason for the failure of the fan in an instant! Having removed the external cover he found a vine growing into the unit! This creeper had grown through the external shutters into the motor housing and strangled the motor – and as a result stopping the fan turning and removing the moist air from the room.

The solution to get this fan working again was simple – the vine was removed from the unit and trimmed back externally. It was also apparent that the unit had not been maintained for some time so the unit was cleaned out thoroughly.

As a result the fan is now working fine and the threat of mould through high humidity is now reduced.

Ventilation solutions from Timberwise

Timberwise are not just experts in damp proofing, we have a range of ventilation products to suit a variety of different needs – from kitchen and bathroom fans through to positive pressure units and whole house ventilation packages  we have a solution for almost all requirements.

If you have a ventilation problem contact your local office on 0800 288 8660 or complete our on-line survey request form and we will contact you to arrange for one of our surveyors to help you further.

A fantastic example today of mould growth in a roof void from one of our Manchester surveyors. The mould growth was caused by over insulating the roof void and as a result causing a lack of ventilation. Insulation was found to have been pushed into the eves of the building as well as between the rafters. The roof timbers and insulation had become saturated resulting initially in the mould growth that you can see growing on the timbers. There was also a potential danger of a Dry Rot outbreak – Dry Rot  can occur when conditions are still and humid and the moisture content of the wood is in excess of 30%.

Our solution to the mould growth problem was to remove the mould, treat the timbers with a fungicidal wash to protect from any future growth and increase the ventilation in the roof space by removing excess insulation from the eves.

What should I do if I discover mould in my roof space?

Timberwise are experts in the treatments of moulds and can offer specialist, specific advice and supply complete solutions as to the control and elimination of condensation and persistent problems of high humidities and associated mould growth, thereby reducing the potential health hazards associated with such growth. To arrange a survey call 0800 288 8660 of complete our on-line survey request form.

When it comes to removing mould caused by condensation there is only one clear way to banish mould for good!

Stop the mould coming back !

Trying to wash off condensation mould just doesn’t work! You could try washing the area populated with mould and re-painting but the problem will just come back! Just think of the time and money wasted ! Unless you change how you live in your home, improve the air flow by the installation of extractor fans, or use a Condensation Mould Kit within the affected area, all your efforts will be in vain and you will find the mould returns in a short space of time.

Envirowise Condensation Mould Kits are specifically designed to provide a straight forward, cost effective solution to prevent condensation mould returning to the affected area. As can be seen in the video below the kit is simple to use:

Expert Mould Removal Advice

The Envirowise Condensation Mould Kit is ideal for properties that have a mild condensation mould problem. However, if the condensation mould is quite extensive and you are unsure of the effective use of our Condensation Mould Kits to eradicate the problem, call Envirowise today and we can arrange for one of our surveyors to call or visit your property to see if using the Condensation Mould Kit is the right option for you!

Purchasing an Envirowise Condensation Mould Kit

The 12 m² Envirowise Condensation Mould Kits will give you long lasting protection and a professional job for just £53 (inc VAT and Delivery)  Compare this to other more expensive treatments for condensation and mould which can run into £thousands and you can see what value for money this mould removal kit is.

We can also supply a larger mould removal kit that covers a surface of upto 50 m² – please ask for details.

Buy on-line

Using our Property Care Experts store  you can buy a kit quickly and safely.

The simple to use condensation mould kits are designed to provide you with a very simple solution to a very common problem within our homes.

To purchase a Condensation Mould Kit, simply call Envirowise on o800 88 8661 or buy at our on-line store!