Penetrating damp is a serious issue that can cause expensive and potentially hazardous damage to your property.
Caused by excess water seeping into the walls, floors or ceilings of a building, if you think your home might have a penetrating damp problem, it’s important to act fast to remove it. In this article, the experts at Atlantis Damp explain what penetrating damp is, what problems it’s likely to cause, and how it can be treated.
What Is Penetrating Damp?
Penetrating damp is a serious form of damp that sees excess moisture and water seeping, leaking or flooding into the walls, floors or ceilings of a building. Once established, penetrating damp can move through the building, forcing homeowners to carry out repair work to treat and remove it.
Penetrating damp commonly occurs as a result of damaged infrastructure, including poorly maintained gutters or broken pipes. It can also occur because of flooding or unusually intense levels of rainfall. The most common causes include:
- Broken gutters or leaking pipes
- Old or damaged brickwork or masonry
- Broken slates, tiles or faulty roofing
- Broken seals
- A damaged damp-proof course
What Problems Can Penetrating Damp Cause?
Penetrating damp can cause a number of issues and problems. If left untreated, minor issues can quickly become exaggerated leading to more expensive repairs, so it’s important to act quickly if you believe you might have a problem.
Common problems caused by penetrating damp include:
- Damage to external walls or roofing
- Damaged plasterwork
- Damp, mouldy patches and smells
- Moist patches
- Visible leaks or pools of water
- Structural damage
- Decaying timbers
How Is Penetrating Damp Treated?
The first step in treating penetrating damp is identifying its cause, which is a task best left to a damp specialist. There can be several ways to remove the damp problem, and an expert can recommend the best solutions for your home.
The most effective way to solve a penetrating damp problem is to repair the cause of the problem. This will vary, but generally it can mean repairing the damaged guttering or pipes that led to the issue or isolating the source of a leak and removing it. Damaged plaster, decoration, flooring and woodwork may need to be replaced, while water repellent can help to protect the home in the future.
In certain cases, it may be necessary to reinstall or update the building’s damp-proof course, especially if water has leaked in from the ground level. Another solution may be tanking, which sees the ground level lowered to stop water flooding in from the outside.
In all cases, a home should always be fully damp proofed to protect any further instances of penetrating damp.
Contact Atlantis Damp to Find Out More About Treating Penetrating Damp in Your Home
Identifying penetrating damp early can help you remove the problem before it causes serious damage to your property. If you believe there might be a penetrating damp issue in your home, our expert team is here to help.
Our family-run business can assist with problems arising from all forms of damp in the home, and we can provide damp-proofing solutions that ensure your house is well protected. Contact Atlantis Damp today for more information.
