Damp Proofing Specialists in Preston
Here at Timberwise, we have a team of highly qualified damp specialists in Preston who provide other services such as timber preservative treatment and structural repairs. If you are seeing signs of damp, dry rot or woodworm in your property, then it is important to book a timber and damp survey from one of our PCA qualified surveyors.
Having one of our damp specialists located in Preston inspect your property can help provide you with expert advice and the correct solutions to prevent these issues from occurring in the future.
There are a number of projects our Preston team has tackled ranging from the small terraced housing to large commercial buildings. Our surveyors and skilled technicians are fully trained and have a number of years of experience in providing damp proofing treatment.
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How To Protect Against Damp Problems Affecting Your Preston Property
Damp is a common problem in Preston. West Lancashire has a higher average rainfall compared to many other areas across the UK, and even in the dry months Preston still sees a lot of rain. Back in 2018 Preston was named the second wettest place in England only behind Lancaster
. If your house is located in any of the areas near River Ribble and River Darwen then your property in Preston could be susceptible to flooding.
A lot of rainfall in any situation means that penetrating damp or rising damp is more than likely to follow. If your property doesn’t have the correct damp proofing solutions in place then this could be a real financial problem to you, and a structural property to your property.
Covering the following areas:
How can we help?
How Do We Treat Rising Damp?
Rising damp can affect any type of building but it tends to be most prominent in older properties. The process of rising damp occurs when the bricks at the base of the wall draw the moisture from the ground. This moisture then moves up the walls via capillary action.
A damp-proof course is used to stop this process from happening but, if it has not been installed correctly or has become damaged over time, this can lead to moisture breaching the damp proof course and for rising damp to then occur.
To rectify your rising damp problem our specialist will carry out a full in-depth survey and then outline in a detailed report whether the existing damp-proof course can be fixed or whether a new damp proofing system will need to be installed.
How Do We Treat Penetrating Damp?
Penetrating damp is a form of dampness caused by water finding its way through to the inside of the property from outside as a result of damage and property defects such as:
- Defective guttering and pipes
- Windows have not been sealed properly
- Faulty pointing
- Bricks no longer having the ability to stop moisture from penetrating them
If you believe that penetrating damp is causing damage to your property, our specialist will carry out a full inspection of the property and identify what defect, or defects, are the cause of the penetrating damp problem.
Depending on the cause of the problem you may require the services of a third party, for example, if new guttering is required. If it is found that the brickwork needs protection from damp, then the surveyor will suggest that waterproofing of your brickwork and masonry should be carried out.
This though should only be done once the structural integrity of the brickwork has been sorted and any cracks, faults or damaged mortar have been rectified.
Condensation Control Solutions
Condensation is the most common form of dampness and the most frequent root cause is poor ventilation within the property. It is though important to note that penetrating damp or rising damp can also lead to condensation issues if left unchecked.
If your property is suffering from dampness, then this increases the amount of moisture in the air within the property which results in condensation becoming a secondary problem.
When the cause of condensation is not identified and rectified early enough then black mould growth will start to occur which can cause health problems to people, especially those that are the most vulnerable such as the young and the elderly.
To prevent condensation, a survey carried out by one of our specialists will identify how severe the condensation problem is and what action should be taken to get rid of the problem.
Our specialist will also provide advice and guidance on preventing it from occurring again in the future.
Woodworm Treatment
If you suspect that there is woodworm in your property, we recommend booking a survey with one of our experts. A Timberwise surveyor will always make sure that the survey process is carried out properly, and that the beetles are correctly identified.
The beetles must be identified correctly because there are several different types of woodworm beetle; the most common being the Common Furniture Beetle, which attacks softwood.
The Death Watch Beetle is the 2nd most common type of woodworm beetle. The Death Watch beetle affects hardwood, and is largely found in older stuctures, like old church buildings.
Our surveyors will check for exit holes, frass (the waste product of wood), and the type of timber that has been affected. Once these checks have been completed, our surveyor will provide you with a report outlining what the most effective woodworm treatment to be used will be to get rid of the particular woodworm from your property.
Dry Rot Treatment
Dry rot is a common problem and can cause serious damage to your property if not dealt with earlier enough. Dry rot can affect any type of property from small terraced housing through to large commercial buildings.
Dry rot causes damage to timber when the moisture content within the wood is over 20%. To treat dry rot, you should first have a qualified surveyor carry out an inspection at the property to identify where the damp problem has come from, only when the source of the dampness has been rectified can the dry rot problem be tackled effectively.
Once the surveyor has correctly identified the source of the damp problem and the type of damp, the surveyor will then instruct that the dampness will need to be treated first before any dry rot treatments can be carried out.
Once the damp problem has been treated, then the dry rot treatment process can start. This involves a number of steps which include: removing any affected timber from the property, applying dry rot treatment to the timber and finally, the replacement of the timbers.
If you would like further information or a detailed explanation of how dry rot treatments are carried out or would like to book a survey with your local specialist, then contact our team online.
How Our Preston Damp Proofing Experts Can Treat Damp
It’s important to have preventative measures in place to stop damp and timber problems from occurring.
Having damp treatments such as a damp proof course or a cavity drainage membrane can help stop damp from damaging the walls of your building.
Having rising damp in your property in Preston usually occurs due to a damaged damp proof course – this predominately affects older properties.
A damp proof course acts as a horizontal barrier to stop moisture passing through it. When new properties are being built, a damp proof course is usually put in place by the building contractor.
Condensation affects many properties across in the Preston area and all types of housing. The most common cause of condensation is poor ventilation in the property.
Condensation is the process of the warm moisture-laden air comes into contact with a cold surface e.g. window.
Day to day activities such as cooking and drying clothes indoors, contribute to warm moisture in your home, so if your home isn’t fully ventilated then condensation is likely to occur because of this.
If you have any of the damp issues discussed, then having one of our Preston damp proofing specialists inspect your property will ensure that the issue is completely treated.
Woodworm Treatment in Preston
Woodworm can be a particular problem for properties in the Preston area. It is important to correctly identify the woodworm before the treatment can be applied by the technician.
There are many different types of beetles that can cause problems to your property from the common furniture beetle to the powder post beetle. By contacting a Property Care Association (PCA) approved surveyor, they can provide an analysis of the type of woodworm that is causing the problems and the treatment can be applied onto the timber to get rid of the infestation once and for all..
What Our Customers Say
Contact Our Damp Proofing Specialists in Preston
We recommend getting in touch with our woodworm and damp specialists in Preston as soon as possible. If you let the problem persist without any damp treatment, then this can worsen and cause real damage to the structural integrity of the property. The first step to treating the problem is having an in-depth damp survey at your property.
By having a survey with a Timberwise damp surveyor they will be able to provide the cause for the damp, woodworm or dry rot issue that is causing damage to your property.
Once the root cause of the problem has been identified then the surveyor can provide a report detailing what treatments need to be carried out get rid of your damp and timber problem.
To speak to our Preston team on 01772 471 375, you can also arrange a survey online.
All calls to this location are answered by the Regional Office that covers this area
Get in touch:
Suite 17 City House, 131 Friargate, Preston, PR1 2EF
Property Care Specialists
- PCA Registered
- Checkatrade Approved
- Which? Trusted Trader
- No Obligation Quotes
- Reliable Property Surveys
- Local To You
- Fast Service
