In the quiet corners of our homes, an insidious menace threatens the structural integrity of our abodes and the very well-being of those who dwell within. Damp internal walls, with their shadowy tendrils, cast long and ominous shadows upon the longevity of building structures.
But not to worry, in the following exposé, we look to explain the cryptic origins of this structural affliction and show you the signs of its presence so you can easily detect and thwart its advances before it gets too far gone.
The Genesis of Damp Internal Walls
Damp internal walls are usually caused by one of three main factors: condensation, penetrating dampness, or rising dampness. How? Let’s take a look.
- Condensation: Condensation materialises when warm, moist air comes into contact with cold surfaces, such as walls or windows. Factors such as poor ventilation, shabby heating, and inferior insulation create the ideal environment for the emergence of this nuisance.
Furthermore, everyday activities such as cooking, showering, and indoor laundry may further encourage the situation. If left unchecked, condensation breeds mold that may become a vector for allergies, asthma, and respiratory ailments.
- Penetrating Damp: This occurs when water infiltrates your property’s exterior walls and rooftops via conduits, such as malfunctioning pipes, leaking faucets, gutters, or dilapidated roofing materials.
Consequently, this damages plaster, paint, wallpaper, and woodwork, creating a musty smell that attracts pests. Penetrating dampness can also affect the structural integrity of your property, as water can corrode the metal components and weaken the mortar and bricks.
- Rising Damp: Rising damp is a creeping menace that comes about when a damp proof course (DPC) is faulty or non-existent. This causes water from the ground to rise via capillary action through the walls of your property.
Without a DPC in place, rising dampness can cause salt deposits, peeling paint, bubbling wallpaper, and rotting boards on the internal walls. Worse yet, the condition can affect the thermal efficiency of your property, as it reduces the insulation value of the walls, leaving residents shivering during winter.
How To Prevent and Treat Damp Internal Walls?
Depending on the problem’s cause and severity, several avenues are available to address damp internal walls. Consider the following precautions and remedies:
- Ventilation Enhancement: Invite a breath of fresh air into your home by regularly parting windows and installing extractor fans in your kitchen and bathrooms.
- Heating Mastery: Assert control over your home by improving central heating with radiators, dehumidifiers, and humidistats to maintain consistent temperature on your property.
- Insulation Fortification: Strengthen your walls against the chill of winter by adopting double glazing, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, or external wall insulation.
- Leak Eradication: Seal the moisture entry points by addressing leaks or damages in the pipes, gutters, or roofing materials.
- Barrier Construction: Erect an impervious fortress by applying waterproof coatings or sealants to your property’s external walls and roof to stem the tide of water penetration.
- DPC Renaissance: Revive your property’s defences by installing a new damp-proof course or infusing a chemical DPC into the walls to defeat rising dampness at its core.
- Mould Removal: Banish the presence of mould using fungicidal wash or bleach solutions. However, you should take care when doing this and wear some protective gear, as bleach and fungicide fumes are potentially toxic.
Conclusion
Although damp internal walls present as only an aesthetic issue, they are, in truth, harbingers of health and safety crises. In this age of enlightenment, you can stand poised to protect your heart and health from the malevolent grasp of dampness as the secrets to their undoing lie within your grasp in this article.
Do you need professional help in London securing your property from damp walls and floors? London Property Preservation is a damp specialist London builders and contractors approve of for effective damp control solutions.
