Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp advice from the penetration damp experts

Penetrating damp is a damp issue that tends to affect older buildings with solid walls rather than those of new build construction. Typically, penetrating damp is caused by issues with either the building (leaking rain water goods eg. gutters or roof problems) or the plumbing within the building where the problem has allowed water to enter the property (known as water ingress). Although penetrating damp can look harmless appearances can be deceptive! Penetrating damp can prove to be very damaging, even if the water does not penetrate all the way through the wall.

How to spot penetrating damp

The typical symptoms of penetrating damp are damp stains / watermarks that grows in size as more water affects the area. If the source of the water ingress is not fixed problems can then affect plaster and other decorative finishes.

How to prevent penetrating damp

Generally the following hints can help to resolve penetrating damp issues:

• Examine rain water goods (gutters, downpipes etc) along with flashing, rendering and window frames.
• Check that downpipes are unobstructed and water can flow freely.
• If the guttering is in need of repair think about replacing with new easy to fit plastic guttering.
• Check the rendering for cracks, resealing any gaps that may exist around window frames.
• Look beneath window sills and check the drip groove, used to shed rainwater so it does not hit the house wall. If this is blocked with moss or dirt clean it thoroughly.

If a damp problems still exist after the above have been checked it may be that you have another kind of damp issue. It is recommended that you have a specialist damp proofing survey to identify and rectify the problem.

Need the assistance of a damp proofing expert ?

Then look no further! It is vital to correctly identify the damp proofing problem you have so that the correct damp proofing solution can be put in place for your property. To correctly determine the form of damp treatment required we recommend a survey from one of our qualified damp proofing surveyors. Timberwise have over 4 decades experience in identifying and providing solutions to damp. For peace of mind that your damp problem is rectified call our damp proofing experts today or click to arrange a survey on-line.