Wall ties are an essential component in the construction of cavity walls. Responsible for holding the inner and outer leaf of the cavity wall together, wall ties prevent walls from separating or bowing outwards. Over time, your wall ties can deteriorate leading to potential structural issues. In this article, we give you a comprehensive guide on everything wall ties, from causes of failure to prevention, and when to replace wall ties.
What Are Wall Ties?
Wall ties are metal connectors that span the cavity between the inner and outer leaf of the cavity wall. They’re typically made of galvanized steel or stainless steel designed to transfer lateral loads between the two leaves of the wall. They come in various shapes and sizes, such as butterfly ties, fishtail ties, and screw-in ties. You can read more about different types of wall ties here.
Do Wall Ties Really Need Replacing?
As essential components in cavity walls, wall ties help connect the inner and outer walls of your home, making them structurally stable. As a rule of thumb, if your home was built before the 1980s, you have around 15 to 20 years before you need to get a professional to replace wall ties in your home. Wall ties in properties built during and after the 1980s are generally made of stainless steel and can last well over 50 years. If you choose not to replace your damaged wall ties, the structural integrity of your walls can be compromised, causing it to become unstable. This could lead to further cracks and damage and, in severe cases, the wall may collapse, causing serious injury or even death.
Why Do Wall Ties Fail and How to Prevent It?
Wall tie failure can occur due to various factors, but the most common cause is corrosion. Corrosion occurs when your metal meets moisture and oxygen. In the case of wall ties, this process is accelerated because they’re typically embedded in a moist environment within the cavity of a wall. Over time, this can cause wall ties to weaken and eventually fail, compromising the structural integrity of the building. To prevent corrosion, ensure that the cavity is adequately ventilated, allowing moisture to escape, and reducing the risk of condensation. Additionally, choose wall ties made of corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel or titanium. These materials are more expensive than traditional galvanized steel ties but offer greater protection against corrosion and are worth the investment in the long run. Another factor that can contribute to wall tie failure includes mechanical damage, such as drilling or cutting into the wall, and damage from improper installation, such as insufficient spacing or inadequate embedment depth. This type of damage can weaken the wall ties, making them more vulnerable to corrosion and prudent for you to replace wall ties in your property. Ensure that your wall ties are installed by certified professionals and avoid unnecessary trouble from improper installations.
How Can You Check the Condition of Your Wall Ties?
Checking the condition of your wall ties is an important part of maintaining the structural integrity of your building. While most checking methods are relatively invasive, here are some steps you can take to check the condition of your wall ties:
Look for visible signs of damage: Most obvious signs that your wall ties are failing are if there are any visible cracks or bulges in the walls. Bulges can indicate that the wall ties have failed and are no longer providing the necessary support. You may also notice that walls are starting to bow or that the mortar joints are starting to crack.
Check for dampness: Damp walls can also be an indicator of wall tie failure. Moisture enters the cavity through gaps in the mortar joints or around the windows and doors, and if wall ties are not functioning correctly, they can act as a bridge for the moisture to travel from the outer leaf to the inner leaf. This results in damp patches or stains on the internal walls, especially near the bottom where moisture tends to accumulate.
Inspect the condition of the mortar: Cracks in the mortar joints between the bricks or blocks of your property’s walls could be an indication that your wall ties are failing. This occurs when wall ties have corroded to the point where they are no longer able to provide the necessary support for the outer leaf of the wall. As a result, the bricks or blocks can shift and move, causing cracks to appear in the mortar joints. If you notice this, contact a professional immediately, this is a serious issue that requires immediate attention to prevent further damage.
Hire a professional: If you suspect that your wall ties may be failing but are not sure where to start checking, call in a professional. A professional contractor can give you quick and honest advice on whether they need replacing. They’ll have the necessary tools and expertise to carry out a thorough inspection of your wall ties and provide qualified advice on whether you need to replace the wall ties in your property.
Regular inspections of your wall ties can help you catch any issues early on and prevent more serious problems from developing. If you notice any signs of damage or dampness, take action as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your building and your family.
How Can You Replace Wall Ties?
In general, the process involves removing the outer leaf of the wall, extracting the old wall ties, and installing new ones. Once the new wall ties are installed, the outer leaf is reattached, and any necessary repairs are carried out.
The full process to replace wall ties can be complex and invasive requiring careful planning and execution. It’s crucial to seek professional advice and hire a qualified contractor to carry out the work.
Wall ties are a critical component of cavity walls, and their failure can lead to serious structural issues. It’s essential to address any signs of wall tie failure promptly and seek professional advice when necessary. By understanding what causes wall tie failure and how to prevent it, you can take proactive steps to replace wall ties early to ensure the long-term integrity of cavity walls and the safety of your family. Don’t take the possibility of a compromised wall tie lightly. Your home’s structural integrity is too important to ignore.
Are you concerned about the condition of your wall ties? Ignoring the signs of wall tie failure can lead to costlier structural issues or worse, serious injury. Let Atlantic Damp give you some peace of mind. Schedule a professional inspection today.
Although mild in appearance, condensation can wreak as much havoc on a home as other forms of damp, if left untreated. This is especially the case when found in and around windows. In this article, we’ll examine how condensation occurs and how to get rid of condensation inside windows.
What Is Condensation?
Before delving into how to get rid of condensation inside windows, it’s helpful to explain what condensation is and why it poses a serious threat to your property. Condensation is the process whereby water vapour makes contact with a cold surface and becomes liquid. This can appear as water droplets, pools of liquid water or a layer of dew on or around those surfaces. Aside from being a frustrating task to wipe away, condensation can have serious consequences in the form of mildew and black mould. These can bring damage to walls and furnishings, and spark breathing problems from inhaling mould spores.
Why Does Condensation Happen?
Day-to-day activities such as cooking, drying clothes indoors, and bathing increase the amount of water vapour inside a building. When that moisture cannot escape and temperatures decrease, the vapour will condense to liquid water on cold surfaces. This occurrence is especially prevalent during winter when activities are primarily done inside. At the same time, temperatures fluctuate due to heating going on and off, and plummeting temperatures outside.
How to Get Rid of Condensation Inside Your Windows
If your home suffers from condensation, it has likely made an appearance inside your windows. Typically, condensed water found inside double-glazed windows suggests that the seals around the window are damaged. Hiring a professional to replace the damaged seals will prevent further harm by condensation. However, when researching how to get rid of condensation inside your windows, ventilation and dehumidification are also useful methods. Opening windows, using ceiling fans or installing air vents to help moist air circulate can all help with ventilation. Investing in a dehumidifier will also remove water vapour, so that condensation can’t happen.
How to Prevent Condensation on Your Windows
Condensation is the result of simple daily actions. Similarly, preventing condensation can be achieved by simple actions. Solutions such as opening windows and rearranging houseplants seem small, yet demonstrate significant results when considering how to get rid of
condensation inside windows
Much like ceiling fans, extractor fans are useful in reducing moist air and preventing condensation. When installed in rooms that produce the most water vapour, for example kitchens and bathrooms, fans will siphon the moist air outside. Dehumidifiers are excellent tools to reduce moisture, although a certain amount of humidity is required in a property, generally around 30–50%. If you want to reduce condensation yet retain a healthy level of humidity, consider putting your dehumidifier on a lower setting. As unconventional as it sounds, the houseplants placed around your home can help to prevent condensation; the key is to use plants that absorb moist air. Aside from preventing condensation this can also improve overall air quality. Condensation is not only a consequence of moist air indoors, but also temperature fluctuations. Therefore, maintaining a low and consistent temperature for longer rather than changing the temperature for short periods of time will ensure a constant heat where condensation cannot form on surfaces.
Contact Atlantis Property Preservation
At Atlantis Property Preservation, our team of experts are on standby to help you to find the most suitable treatment for how to get rid of condensation inside windows.
Damp issues can be a home seller’s worst nightmare. Not only will it impact the value of your home, it can affect potential buyers’ perception of your home and how much you can make from a sale.
In this article, the experts at Atlantis Damp will explain how damp can affect the sale of your home, and how a dampness survey can save you time while maximising your earnings.
Can You Sell a House with Damp Issues?
Although you can sell a house with damp, you have a legal obligation to disclose damp issues to potential buyers. That obligation still exists even if the damp is not clearly visible, for example if it’s covered by a coat of paint.
How Much Does Damp Affect House Prices?
Damp issues will affect the value of your home and how much you can sell it for. Many potential buyers will be repelled once you’ve disclosed that your home has damp issues. Remaining buyers will likely use your damp issues as leverage to offer a lower price. If the issue is particularly visible or severe, buyers would consider the additional time and cost of fixing the damp should they purchase your home.
If you’re working with an estate agent, you may be advised to consider other selling options such as private sale or auction, because the house has a lower market value. This naturally leads to a lower commission for them, therefore they may encourage a quick sale.
Ultimately, the severity of the damp will determine its effect on house prices. Conducting a dampness survey will give an accurate account of the damp issues in your home.
Should You Fix Damp Before Selling Your House?
It would be wise to address your home’s damp issues before selling. It’s unlikely that this will increase its value. Even a history of damp is unattractive to some buyers. However, it will significantly decrease the devaluation of your home due to unfixed damp. You’re more likely to get an offer closer to your asking price.
Fixing damp issues after putting your house on the market will delay a sale. Buyers will see your house as a project, rather than a home. Furthermore, the longer your house sits on the market, the more other buyers will assume there’s something wrong with it. Therefore, it’s better to address damp issues before putting your house up for sale.
What Is a Damp Survey and How Can It Help?
A dampness survey is an evaluation to determine the presence and extent of damp in a building.
Having a professional conduct a dampness survey before listing your house is the best course of action, because it will provide useful information that can be used before and during the sale.
You’ll receive a report on whether you have damp and the severity of the issue. If you intend to fix the damp prior to sale, an expert can estimate the cost and time of repairs. If you intend to sell without making repairs, the report can be used to adjust your asking price and explain the issue to potential buyers.
Contact Atlantis Damp to Book Your Dampness Survey
Identifying damp before putting your house on the market can determine the value of your home and affect how you proceed with the sale.
Condensation on windows is a regular sight throughout the year. Condensation is the most common form of damp that properties can suffer from. Luckily, it’s also the easiest problem to fix.
If you’re worried about condensation in your home, we’re here to explain its causes and how to prevent it.
What Causes Condensation in your home?
Condensation forms when hot, moist air hits a colder surface like a windowpane or an external wall. Warm air naturally holds water droplets in the form of moisture, and when warm air cools down or collides with cold surfaces, the moisture condenses into water droplets, causing condensation.
You’ll typically see condensation on windows when the moisture content of the air is heavy. Condensation can also lead to black mould growth, particularly where air flow is stagnant.
Moisture is generated in the home due to the way we live. This can happen when you have a hot shower, put the kettle or dry washing on a radiator.
Condensation is even more likely to form during the winter when there are more colder surfaces in your home. Lower temperatures mean the air can hold less moisture, and when you’re more likely to have the heating on high.
Why Is It Important to Reduce Condensation in your home?
Small amounts of condensation in your home might seem harmless, but there are several important reasons to resolve the issue. It’s important to remember that condensation is a form of damp; it can still cause damage to your home and lead to health problems.
For all of the reasons below, it’s important to reduce condensation in your home:
Leads to the growth of damp and mould patches in your home
Causes musty, odorous, lingering smells
Damages wallpaper, plastering, decor and furniture
Can create the conditions for wet and dry rot
May cause respiratory problems and other illnesses
How to Prevent Condensation in your home
Luckily, there are several key methods that can help to prevent condensation in your home.
Effectively, you either need to either increase ventilation or warm up the surfaces, remove opportunities for dew point to be reached on cold surfaces. For mild problems, it can even be as simple as opening the back door when you’re cooking, or switching on the extractor fan when you’re having a hot shower.
Key prevention techniques include:
Improving ventilation throughout your home
Opening windows and doors
Making use of extractor fans
Installing dehumidifiers
Improving the insulation in your home
Running the heating at a minimum of 16 degrees during winter
How Can Atlantis Property Preservation Help Treat Condensation in your home?
Atlantis Property Preservation is here to help treat condensation problems in your home. If you’re concerned about the level of condensation appearing in your home, our specialist technicians can undertake a damp survey to uncover the cause of the problems.
We’ll investigate the source of the condensation and check for signs of any other types of damp, such as rising or penetrating damp. We’ll then provide you with a detailed breakdown of the problem, and solutions to treat it.
Our team may recommend a thorough ventilation plan for your home, which may include the installation of specialist ventilation systems that keep condensation to a minimum.
Contact Atlantis Property Preservation for More Information about Condensation on Windows
Atlantis Property Preservation’s experienced team of specialists will reduce the risk of condensation in your home.
Contact our friendly staff today to find out how we can help you.
If you want to keep your home moisture free, then a damp-proof course is vital of that. A damp-proof course is an effective way to stop water from entering a property from the earth, and it helps protect your home against moisture damage that causes decorative spoiling.
But how much does a damp-proof course cost to install? The expert team at Atlantis Property Preservation is here to explain everything you need to know.
What Is a Damp-Proof Course?
A damp-proof course, or DPC, is designed to form a protective, waterproof barrier that stops moisture from seeping into your home. Damp-proof courses create an impervious barrier that makes it impossible to dampness to rise up the walls. They are commonly made from impermeable materials, and they are typically installed in the mortar bed below the internal floor level to protect against rising water.
There are several types of damp-proof courses available, each of which has different associated costs. The most common DPCs include:
Chemical damp-proof course injections
Mortar damp proof-course injections
Electroosmotic damp-proof courses
Why Do You Need a Damp-Proof Course?
A damp-proof course is a vital protective measure that may stop your home from suffering damage from damp. Here are the most important reasons to ensure you have a damp-proof course installed:
Keeps your home protected against rising damp
Stops problems that arise from dampness, including wet rot and mould
Helps you to avoid health problems, such as respiratory illnesses, that may arise due to black toxic mould spores associated with condensation. Black mould is likely to form on the coldest walls in your home, and damp walls are naturally colder than dry walls, therefore making black mould more likely in a damp home.
Increases the value of your property over time
Saves you money in the long-term, as you avoid paying for costly repairs.
How Much Does a Damp-Proof Course Cost?
The cost of a damp-proof course varies from one property to the next. Major costs will include the materials and labour, so the size of the property and the type of DPC being installed will affect the overall price.
The major factors that affect the cost of installing a damp-proof course include:
The size of the area that requires damp-proofing within your property
The time that’s needed for the work to be carried out
The type of DPC you’re going to have installed
Additional survey, damp-proofing or repair work to your property
If damp has already taken hold in your property, you may also need to factor in other costs in order to fix and remove the damp problem before a new DPC can be installed. For an accurate estimation, it’s essential that you have a consultation with a damp-proofing specialist and have a detailed survey undertaken.
What Is Included in the Cost of a Damp-Proof Course?
With a professional company such as Atlantis Property Preservation, the cost of a damp-proof course may include the following:
Pre-installation survey, with any upfront survey cost deducted from the invoice of any required works.
Installation of the damp proof-course
Replastering or membrane installation
Tanking solutions to cater for any shortfall
Solutions to solve penetrating damp
Solutions to solve condensation issues
Clean up and removal of waste materials
Warranty
Contact Atlantis Property Preservation for more information and arrange for our expert team to visit your home.
Atlantis Property Preservation’s experienced team of damp-proofing specialists will ensure that your property is fully protected.
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