Cement mortars not only stop moisture moving freely through the wall and escaping into the air, but they also encourage water into the wall through cracks that always form in cement. These mortars also force natural salts to crystallise in brickwork, causing the bricks to break up. Most below-ground rooms were cellars and cold stores which were an important part of the moisture control system. True cellar stores have their walls in contact with the ground and allow moisture to saturate them — ensuring they remain cool.
They are often built to intercept underground watercourses, and may have regularly flooded to a few inches. As nothing was stored on the floor or in direct contact with the walls, water and damp did not matter, and the flood water was used to save going outside to a frozen well or pump in winter.
Good ventilation allowed excess moisture to escape. If the cellars ever get converted into habitable rooms, the ventilation is stopped up — forcing moisture up into the rooms above. This is almost guaranteed to be a problem. As a general rule, houses were always raised up above their surroundings. If the house was built with a brick paved ground floor, at the very least, this was laid on top of the existing ground level with a layer of fine ash or sand beneath to give a level finish.
Nowadays, you can often see old steps that once led up to doors, partially buried beneath later pavings. It is also common to see door thresholds that were originally above a top step, now below the adjoining ground so you step down to them. External ground levels should be at least mm below floor level, so it is important to ensure that earth is not banked up against outside walls. Patios are often laid too high, causing bridging of DPSc or rain splashing on hard surfaces saturating the walls.
Installing a shallow gravel-filled trench around the base of the wall assists evaporation of moisture. Formerly damp plaster can retain a residue of salts deposited by the water.
Sometimes when rooms are heated after being left empty, dampness can reappear on the surface of the paster because these salts absorb moisture from the atmosphere of the room. Salts should be brushed or vacuumed off. MORE : How to deal with damp. This continuous air exchange will ensure that condensation doesn't become a problem and prevent mould growth. How to ventilate your house. How to avoid condensation in your bathroom.
How to stop condensation on windows. How to remove mould from walls. Rising damp is one of the most debated forms of damp. It occurs when natural ground water around a property rises up through brickwork and up the wall. This is usually stopped from happening by a damp proof course DPC.
However, in some cases, there can be issues with the DPC such as:. Most buildings have a barrier to prevent water travelling up from the ground and into the walls - this is called a damp proof course DPC. DPCs are made of water-resistant materials such as plastic membranes, bitumen or slate.
In older buildings, where no DPC exists or it has failed over time, you may have an issue with rising damp. This is where the damp from the ground is able to travel up past the DPC because of one of the following reasons:. In order to treat rising damp, your first job is to get the diagnosis confirmed. Once diagnosed by a professional, you need to ascertain if there is an existing DPC, and then if it is bridged.
There are ways that you can rectify a bridged DPC depending on the cause of the bridging. For more information on how to treat rising damp check out the articles below:. How to treat rising damp. Treating rising damp with Damp Proof Injection Cream. If the problem continues obtain quotations and get a damp inspection from Damp Proofing Companies ensuring that they offer a minimum 20 year insurance backed guarantee.
Mould growth, a musty smell. One of the most common issues affecting the home. Usually caused by inadequate ventilation. To resolve, open windows, especially during cooking, after baths etc. Avoid drying clothes indoors. Consider buying a dehumidifier although they are costly to run long term. Moisture traps are just a few pounds each and are useful in wardrobes or behind large furniture. You will need to start by sourcing the cause in order to accurately remedy it.
For example, a damp patch on the wall at the top of a chimney breast suggests a leak from the chimney stack, a wet patch at the top of a wall may indicate a leaking gutter and damp near windows might mean a damaged drip groove beneath the window sill.
It is important to deduce which type damp it is in order to prevent any further damage. There are three types:. The most common form of damp is often caused by poor heating and ventilation.
It occurs when activities such as cooking raise the level of humidity in a building. This air condenses on cold surfaces, such as windows and walls. Running water on windows is the most obvious signal of condensation and can lead to stained curtains, decaying window frames or moulding on paint and wallpaper. This is were water that enters a structure from the ground. Symptoms include decayed skirting boards and floors, stained plaster, and peeling paint and wallpaper.
This is when water enters a building from outside and moves through the walls, often creating stains or mould growth at some distance from the leak. Caused are defects in guttering and pipes, faulty flashings, poor pointing and cracked rendering. As with everything prevention is easier than working out how to get rid of damp. Remove the condensation as soon as you see it as this will stop any mould from building up.
It might help to occasionally wipe down walls and window frames with a fungicidal wash. Always cover pans and pots when cooking. You could also close the kitchen door when cooking to stop steam escaping to other parts of the house. Improving your heating and ventilation systems will do a long way to solving condensation issues.
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