Penetrating damp information

Penetrating damp in properties

Penetrating damp is usually caused by the movement of water through walls from the exterior of the building. There are a number of simple signs to identify if your property has become a victim of penetrating damp. These symptoms include:

• Areas of localised dampness – Random patches of dampness at either high or low level that do not show signs of drying out.
• Mould growth – Mould is accompanied with a musty smell and leads to spoilt decorations.
• Damaged plaster - Plaster will blister, show signs of salts or disintegrate.
• Rotten floor timbers / skirting boards – Dampness can lead to decay in the form of wet rot.

The causes of penetrating damp

Penetrating damp is caused predominantly by 2 things:

Building defects – these defects could be leaking roofs, damaged brickwork, faulty downpipes and gutters. As can be seen from the picture to the left where part of the rain water goods are missing – this has led to a penetrating damp issue and a plant to appear to grow out of the brickwork.

Lateral penetrating damp – this is caused by the external ground is above the internal floor level. A typical example of lateral penetrating  dampness is in a basement where external walls are built against the external (subterranean) ground.

Penetrating damp has also been proven to be responsible for a high percentage of dry rot attacks in property.

Need the assistance of a damp expert ?

Then look no further! It is vital to correctly identify the damp problem you have so that the correct damp proofing solution can be put in place for the property. To correctly determine the type of dampness and the form of damp treatment required we recommend a survey from one of our qualified damp surveyors.