Damp Category Signs/Symptoms Cause Remedial Work

Rising Damp

  • Dampness or staining of internal and external walls, usually at ground level and up to approximately 1 metre
  • Skirting board decay
  • Rusty nails in the skirting board
  • Wet rot to sub-floor timbers including joists and wall plates
  • Damage such as flaking and blistering to plasterwork
  • Salt deposits usually at ground level and up to approximately 1 metre
  • Missing physical damp proof course (DPC)
  • Decayed physical damp proof course (DPC)
  • The physical damp proof course (DPC) is lower than the surrounding groundwork
  • The physical DPC may also be bridged by extensions or other forms of abutted wall or fence pillars
may require:

  • Missing physical damp proof course (DPC)
  • Decayed physical damp proof course (DPC)
  • The physical damp proof course (DPC) is lower than the surrounding groundwork
  • The physical DPC may also be bridged by extensions or other forms of abutted wall or fence pillars

Penetrating Damp

  • Dampness or staining of internal and external walls. This can be present at any height and can propagate to ceilings
  • Damage such as flaking and blistering to plasterwork
  • Salt deposits on walls
  • Timber decay
  • The most common cause is a loss of integrity to external building construction, including:
    • Defective roofing
    • Cracked render or brickwork
    • Decayed windows and doors
    • Defective guttering
  • General external building maintenance is always required
  • Removal of plaster, sealing brickwork and subsequent replacement of render and finished plaster (frequent)
  • Removal and replacement of affected skirting boards (occasional)
  • Replacement of rotting subfloor timbers (occasional)

Lateral Penetrating Damp

  • Dampness or staining of internal and external walls. This can be present at any height and can also propagate to ceilings
  • Damage to plasterwork like flaking and blistering
  • Salt deposits on walls
  • Timber decay
  • A missing physical damp proof course (DPC)
  • A decayed physical damp proof course (DPC)
  • Raised soil levels or other building works adjacent to external walls
  • Removal of plaster and the installation of a tanking system (frequent)
  • Removal and replacement of affected skirting boards (frequent)
  • Where practical, removal of high external soil levels (occasional)
  • Replacement of rotting timbers (occasional)

Condensation

  • Staining to interior décor
  • Black mould
  • Musty odour
  • Wetness on interior décor and windows
  • Inadequate ventilation and air circulation
  • High moisture content in air within the home
  • High-temperature fluctuations
  • Installation of additional subfloor boiler room air bricks (fairly frequent)
  • Installation of ventilation system like humidity controlled electric air vents (fairly frequent)
  • Installation of high-level air vents
  • Installation of a positive pressure system

© Garratt's Damp & Timber 2024 - All Rights Reserved

Sitemap | Website by i3MEDIA

Call us at 0208 535 7536

All phone calls are recorded

Book Now