What Is Penetrating Damp?

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Understanding Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp (also known as water ingress or lateral damp) is a common cause of damp in older buildings, but it can occur in residences of any age and at any level. Penetrating damp is caused by water infiltration via an external wall into the home. This can occur due to a structural issue or because exterior brick or stone walls have degraded to the point that they have become porous, allowing water to enter the dwelling through the external wall. Mould is spread through penetrating dampness. Black mould is a prevalent worry in areas where there is a lot of humidity.

The main difference between rising damp and penetrating damp

The height at which rising and penetrative damp occur is the most prevalent distinction. Rising damp occurs only up to a metre above ground level, whereas penetrating damp can occur anywhere.

Causes of Penetrating Damp

Water infiltrating through walls from the outside causes penetrating damp. It can happen on any level of a building, but it is more common further up. Although damp can travel horizontally within walls, it is not the same as rising damp, which moves vertically. The following are the most common causes of penetrating damp:

Porous Walls – As bricks age, they lose their ability to keep the rain out.
Spalled Bricks & Degraded Mortar – Water can get through damaged brickwork.
Building Faults — Defective guttering and downpipes, roof damage, dilapidated or poorly installed windows. In this situation, address the underlying issue before using Stormdry to improve your defences.

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How to Identify Penetrating Damp?

Because the symptoms of penetrating damp are sometimes confused with those of other types of damp, identifying damp can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. So what are the symptoms of penetrating damp?

You should be able to recognise the indicators of penetrating damp from the following signs, regardless of size or scale:

Damaged Internal Decoration – deterioration and staining internal wall
Damaged Plaster – blistering, salting and disintegration.
Rotting Skirting Boards or Floor Timbers – wet rot decay can develop due to moisture saturating timber.
Localised dampness – Random damp patches at a high and low level that grow in size when coming into contact with moisture.
Mould Growth – musty smell, spoilt decoration.
Brick damage – damage to the brickwork on external walls resulting in spalling and cracks in the wall’s structure can allow moisture to enter the property.

Any watermarks on walls, windows, or ceilings indicate a penetrating moisture problem. When the surveyor inspects certain portions of the building, significant moisture readings are typically found.

If water is permitted to enter your property due to continuous periods of rainfall, damp patches will appear on the inside walls. Condensation may form in damp, chilly regions of the property as a result of this. If the damp problem has progressed to a critical level, water droplets may be seen. There will be no salts coming from the ground, unlike rising damp.

If your home is suffering from penetrating damp, the sooner you address the issue, the less damage it will cause. Contact our damp proofing team today by calling 01273 257877 or filling out an online form to schedule a survey.

Areas Are Most Affected by Penetrating Damp

Compared to properties built with cavity walls, those built with solid walls are more prone to suffer from penetrating moisture.

The use of hollow wall construction protects against moisture intrusion. This is because cavity walls provide an air gap between the internal and external walls, preventing moisture from rapidly entering the building’s interior walls.

Property owners should be aware that having cavity walls does not automatically eliminate the risk of penetrating damp. Cavity wall insulation can cause problems by obstructing the walls, allowing water to enter the inner wall despite the presence of an air gap.

If the cavity’s outside wall is damaged, moisture will be able to seep in via the cracks and into the cavity’s interior. Damage to the cavity’s insulation could result as a result of this. Moisture is transferred from damp insulation to the building’s inner walls.

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A Specialist Can Identify Penetrating Damp

If you notice signs of moisture penetration, it’s always a good idea to have a damp specialist inspect your home to ensure the problem is diagnosed correctly.

A survey undertaken by one of our experts will include a thorough examination of all areas of the property for symptoms of damp and other timber-related issues. A comprehensive report will be given to you once the survey has been finished.

This will describe what was discovered during the property inspection, such as the source of the problem. It will also outline the procedures that must be taken to ensure that the penetrating damp problem does not recur in the future. You can reach out to our staff online or by calling 01273 257877 to schedule a survey.

Booking a Penetrating Damp Survey

Sussex Damp Experts is the company to call if you need professional penetrating damp treatment. Our surveyors and experts will accurately analyse, diagnose, and treat your penetrating damp problem using cutting-edge diagnostic technology and treatment procedures.

We have over 10 years of experience in treating properties from the effects of damp, rot and woodworm. Contact our team today on 01273 257877 or click the button below to book a survey today.

What happens if Penetrating Damp is left untreated?

There are several reasons why your property could be affected by penetrating wetness. Common sources of damp problems include leaking or perforated pipes, cracked roofs, and blocked gutters. The weaknesses mentioned above allow moisture to permeate your property’s walls, resulting in dampness.

The extent of the wet damage and paint lifting on your interior walls becomes increasingly apparent as time passes. During the winter, when water trapped in the walls freezes and expands, causing the raised paintwork to peel, the problem is aggravated.

Rainfall can permeate buildings via leaking roofs, blocked gutters, overflows, and other water entry points, resulting in penetrating damp. Water can cause substantial structural damage to the walls and beams when it penetrates the building’s framework. This type of moisture can be identified by large stains on the ceiling, floors, walls, and interior paintwork, especially after heavy rains.

Because they are challenging to maintain due to their inaccessibility, the parapets, roofs, and chimneys are frequently the most vulnerable to the effects of severe rains. Roof junctions are the most difficult because water can infiltrate via broken water ridges, lead flashings, hips, or water fillets. The most common cause of penetrating damp is structural issues such as faulty roofs, gutters, or wall cracks. Damp may wreak havoc on a structure’s inner and exterior walls.

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Call Our Sussex Damp Experts team now for quote, consultation and advice: Call on 01273 257877.

Penetrating Damp Treatment Services

Identifying the source of moisture

Identifying and correcting the cause of moisture/water ingress is the most critical stage in penetrating damp treatment. Property issues are more likely to blame for penetrating damp. Even in residential developments, there are, on average, four potential points of water entry that can impact a home:

To keep the brickwork from being saturated, all of these places must be kept in top shape, with any faults detected and problems corrected.

Expert Rendering

Water-attractive hygroscopic salts, which are transferred from the earth to the brickwork by increased wetness, will continue to draw moisture, especially during periods of high humidity. The damp-proof course will keep the dampness from rising any further. Re-plastering to the PTL specification is necessary if this occurs to an unsatisfactory degree. PTL has expert plasterers on staff and would be happy to give quotes for this job.

Penetrating Damp Treatment

Penetrating damp is one of the most dangerous and damaging issues you could have in your home. This type of dampness is also known as rain penetration since it occurs when water from the outside enters the structure. Water infiltration may usually be traced back to its source and treated using low-cost solutions. Our experienced moisture-proofing specialists can assess and resolve penetrating damp problems.

Hundreds of Sussex households have turned to our damp-proofing experts. Please call us at 01273 257877 for a survey or treatment quote if you require experienced and qualified damp-proofing professionals.

The Benefits of a Damp Proofing Course

Damp proofing is a method of preventing moisture from entering a structure. Performing a small repair for damp (e.g. repointing or painting over the damp) will increase the cost of the job in the long run and require you to redo the job later.

A damp proof course is a water-resistant barrier that runs the length and width of your wall. It prevents groundwater from creeping up through the wall due to capillary action.

We can offer you a variety of damp proofing choices at Sussex Damp Experts, each with its own set of advantages. A damp proof course (DPC) is a method that aids in the control of dampness by regulating the moisture caused by capillary action.

A damp proof membrane (DPM) is a unique membrane added to a DPC to combat dampness. A DPM can use a silicone material to help manage moisture. Buildings are protected from water and moisture, including rain, using this coating process. It also contains cement, such as shotcrete, which provides moisture, water, and pressure resistance. The construction of cavity walls creates a space between the inner and outside walls to keep water out, whereas pressure grouting is used to plug any gaps in masonry walls.

What Is DPC Injection, And How Does It Work?

A silicone-based formulation is injected into a sequence of holes made along the base of a wall that is suffering from the effects of increasing damp to create a chemical damp-proof course.

A chemical DPC, contrary to widespread assumption, does not form an impenetrable physical barrier. Chemical damp-proofing, on the other hand, is an effective method of filling the pores of a brick wall with a water repellent silicone compound. The silicone-lined pores neutralise the brick particles’ charge attraction to the water molecules, lowering adhesive attraction to a level suitable with the liquid’s cohesive force.

A simple injection applicator is used to inject the silicone-based damp-proofing cream into a series of 12mm holes drilled into the bed joint. Before curing, the injected DPC cream diffuses quickly, forming a water-repellent damp proof course that addresses dampness in brick and masonry walls. One of the most critical components of managing increasing damp in homes is the damp-proof injection procedure. It’s also one of the most efficient, providing a dependable and straightforward solution.

Where Should Chemical Damp Proofing Be Installed?

Water will still rise through the perp-end joints even if a chemical damp proof course system is installed in the bricks or blocks along a stretch of brickwork. Water can only climb a wall if there is a continuous channel for it to travel through. As a result, the only layer capable of acting as a moisture-proof course is the mortar bed joint.

Internally, beneath ground floor joists, or close to the floor if solid, a DPC should be placed at least 150mm above external ground level. If the two are incompatible, further safeguards to protect low-lying regions and flooring timbers may be required.

A vertical upstand is required where a wall extends beyond the new DPC, such as when the wall is part of an enlarged terrace, to prevent horizontal moisture transmission from surrounding walls. Inject the chemical into holes in a zigzag pattern that follows the mortar line up the wall to a height of at least 1 metre to create a vertical DPC.

The cream can be injected from either side of the wall. However, we recommend injecting from both sides for cavity walled brickwork. In rubble-filled walls, which are effectively cavity walls filled with rubble, damp proofing chemicals are unlikely to be successful. In such cases, an electro-osmotic system is more likely to produce superior results.

Don’t Delay Solving The Damp Problem

If you discover dampness in your property, act soon! Otherwise, the residents may face serious issues.

Beyond the visual soreness caused by damp problems, dampness can cause severe damage to a property’s structure and compromise structural integrity if not addressed on time. There is also evidence that it can induce respiratory difficulties, which mainly affects people who already have a respiratory problem.

Whether you have damp developing due to condensation, leaking guttering, or leaking pipes, call our damp removal and proofing experts immediately to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Our commitment to providing excellent customer service, as well as our depth and breadth of knowledge, are the foundations of our continued success.

Sussex Damp Experts – Solving Any Damp Issues

Our team has over 10 years of combined expertise offering damp proofing in Brighton. If you are experiencing damp issues in Brighton and the surrounding areas, please call our damp specialist team on 01273 257877 to schedule a survey or treatment.

Following our instructions, one of our CSRT and CSSW trained surveyors will thoroughly examine and provide a report, price quote and treatment suggestions.

Suppose you decide to go ahead with our damp proofing services. In that case, we have a complete team of damp proofing specialists who have a comprehensive portfolio dealing with damp problems, such as dry rot and woodworm, wet rot, wood rot, basement waterproofing, internal dampness, rain penetration, condensation control both in commercial properties and private homes.

Damp Proofing At Affordable Prices

The costs associated with addressing a damp problem depend on many different factors such as the property’s dimension and architecture, the type of damp cause, the materials involved, among others.

Because there’s a comprehensive range of details to consider, don’t hesitate to contact our fully trained team to book a survey and have one of our friendly team members inspect the property and fully understand the situation, thus providing you with the most cost-effective quote and treatment.

Why Choose Sussex Damp Experts?

We adhere to high standards when it comes to damp proofing treatments, professional re-plastering, wood preservation, and damp inspections.

We provide homeowners, local governments, small enterprises, and large commercial properties with customised, professional, and dependable damp proofing treatment and repair services.

Sussex Damp Experts – Damp Proofing Specialists

If you are experiencing damp issues in Brighton and the surrounding areas, please call our damp specialist team on 01273 257877 to schedule a survey or treatment.

Following our instructions, one of our CSRT and CSSW trained surveyors will thoroughly examine and provide a report, price quote and treatment suggestions.

We have a team of damp proofing experts with a wide range of experience dealing with damp issues such as penetrating damp, dry rot and woodworm, wet rot, wood rot, basement waterproofing, all sorts of interior dampness, and condensation control in both commercial and residential premises.

Advantages of choosing Sussex Damp Experts:

Client Reviews

I am not the type to leave a review but feel it necessary to express just how grateful my husband and I are for everything Sussex Damp Experts have done for us. We have had countless builders in that haven’t been able to fix the damp patches on our dining room wall. Straight away Steve identified that this was moisture in the air attracting to salt from a removed chimney! Jack and Robbie completed the recommended work very impressively and efficiently.

I had an excellent experience with Sussex Damp Experts from start to finish. Alex conducted a thorough woodworm survey of my loft and provided a detailed, transparent quote for the treatment. His professional and courteous approach gave me complete confidence in the company. They took exceptional care to maintain the cleanliness of my property throughout the process, laying down protective coverings and cleaning up meticulously after completing the work. Their consideration for my home and attention to detail was impressive.

The Sussex Damp Experts team consistently demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism and courtesy. They're always punctual, maintain excellent communication, and go above and beyond expectations on every job. I cannot recommend them highly enough for their outstanding service.

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