Damp Proofing Barnstaple

Damp Proofing Barnstaple Devon (EX31): Problems with damp in your home in Barnstaple don't only look unattractive, but they can also lead to major health and structural issues too. If not solved promptly, some of the more critical problems could cost thousands of pounds to repair, and may be hard to spot beneath damp patches and peeling wallpaper. To get the most effective damp proofing remedy for your house, you should speak to a professional Barnstaple damp proofing company to check your property for issues.

In Barnstaple buildings, there are essentially three significant problem areas where damp can have an impact on your home:

PENETRATING DAMP

Some of the exterior factors that may cause penetrating damp in a structure include: cracked or loose roof tiles, blocked cavity walls, porous brickwork and damaged gutters or downspouts. From within, damaged shower trays, overflowing baths or sinks and burst or leaky water pipes, can contribute to penetrating damp. If left unresolved, peeling or bubbling paintwork, blistering or broken plaster and dark, damp patches on walls, will be the obvious upshot of water seeping into the woodwork and walls.

You can get wet rot in your roofing timbers, if you have a leaky roof, and it's been left untreated for a while. This could prove very pricey, because in the worst case scenario the structural integrity of your roof timbers could be compromised, with the result that you'll need a new roof. There are various indicators of wet rot that aren't difficult to spot, the principle ones being; the presence of black fungus on woodwork, a "spongy" feel to the timbers and a musty smell of rotten wood.

Simple steps like cleaning and checking your gutters & roof for leaks, repointing unsound brickwork and examining water pipes for leaks, can be the basic preventative measures. If you contact a certified damp proofing specialist in Barnstaple, they can check all these things, and put a strategy together for both fixing your dampness issues and preventing further occurrences.

CONDENSATION

There are numerous factors that can cause dampness, however condensation is among the most common and easily noticed. When warm, moist air comes into contact with colder surfaces, minute droplets of water rapidly form. In places with high humidity, as in: bathrooms, boiler rooms and kitchens, condensation arises due to inadequate ventilation.

To avoid condensation problems, easy solutions include making sure you have adequate ventilation in the main trouble spots, and wiping up any water droplets as soon as they arise. You can minimise the quantity of moist air that is present in your building by installing or upgrading air bricks, extractors and cooker hoods.

To find areas which play a role in the situation by drawing in damp air from outside, a professional Barnstaple damp proofing company will do an in-depth damp proofing survey. Air circulation has to be properly regulated to adequately minimise condensation, and a competent damp proofing technician will give advice and offer solutions on this topic.

RISING DAMP

Houses built since 1875 in the UK have required a damp proof course or membrane to be installed as standard. You may not have a damp course on your property in Barnstaple if it was built earlier than this. If your property was built after this year, but you are still experiencing rising damp problems, it may be that the damp proof membrane has been impaired.

If you think that you may have rising damp, rotten or crumbling skirtings, tide marks on walls and a white powdery deposit appearing on walls or being found on floor surfaces, are fair indications that you may be correct. Although the existence of one or more of these isn't conclusive, they are all clear indicators of rising damp problems.

Solving rising damp issues can be as straightforward as checking your outside walls and seeing if you can spot a damp proof course. To be certain of a satisfactory degree of protection the DPM needs to be above ground level by no less than 150mm (about six inches). You can dig away the surrounding earth to create this space if it's currently not sufficient, or you could put in a damp course higher up if the first option is not possible.

If this is not the root cause of the problem and your damp proof membrane (DPM) is installed and in order, there may be more challenging issues to resolve caused by the moisture coming up from the ground beneath, up through your floor, and into your walls.

Damp proofing professionals in Barnstaple can swiftly identify and eliminate rising damp using a number of different procedures. Older homes which either have no damp proof course at all, or have a compromised one that is damaged over an extensive area, can be treated with a damp proofing injection cream such as Dryzone. Evenly spaced holes are drilled at intervals along the brickwork, and a nozzle is used to inject the special cream, which then soaks into the surrounding brickwork before curing to create an effective water-repellent barrier.

In instances where damp proofing injection cream isn't an appropriate solution, or when your membrane is severely damaged, installing a brand new damp proof course might be neccessary. Though this is naturally a fairly drastic plan of action, it could be the best way to remedy your damp problems successfully.

Painting with a waterproof (bitumen based) latex emulsion, is another possible remedy for smaller areas of membrane damage. This will be applied beneath your current floor coverings, so carpets, tiles and wood flooring will need to be lifted before any work is undertaken. This is especially effectual in basements as a part of the "tanking" procedure to make a room which is watertight. Your Barnstaple damp proofing technician might advise the use of building paper (a specialist foil backed membrane) before the bitumen coating has dried completely, further protection in such troublesome areas.

Tanking: The process of coating exposed surfaces in a watertight paint in a basement or below ground area is referred to as tanking. Because this coating needs to be applied to the bare surfaces of walls and floors, any plaster and wall coverings must be taken off before any work can begin, and the surfaces in question correctly prepared. When this coating has been applied and is dry, it's then possible to replaster any wall surfaces and decorate on top of it. This is an exceedingly disruptive job because it has to be applied to an entire ground floor or basement level of a property, and it is advisable to obtain more than one expert's opinion on whether this is really the only treatment for your rising damp issues.

SOLVING DAMP WITH A DEHUMIDIFIER

Problems with condensation can definitely be helped through the use of dehumidifiers, which are a highly effective way to remove moisture from the air. The fact that these gadgets just cover up the cause of the damp and not get rid of it, is the trouble with the use of dehumidifiers. If you're suffering with mould or damp in any part of your property in Barnstaple, you can get hold of a certified damp proofing company for the most reliable advice.

FINDING A RELIABLE DAMP PROOF COMPANY IN BARNSTAPLE

As with just about any project, the best recommendations for a local specialist can be obtained from friends and family. When possible you should see if you can obtain at least 2 or 3 different quotes from a variety of companies, and before employing any specific damp proof services, you should ask to look at qualifications and professional memberships, as proof of their integrity.

Watch out for membership of and qualifications from bodies such as the Damp Proofing Association (DPA) or the Property Care Association, or contractors holding the CSTDB (Certificated Surveyor of Timber and Dampness) or the Certificated Surveyor in Remedial Treatments (CSRT) qualifications.

Membership of the DPA or PCA guarantees that your chosen damp proofing provider is properly qualified and has the appropriate experience to provide a top notch damp proofing service. Such memberships also means there are guarantees for any work completed.

Positive Input Ventilation Barnstaple

Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) could be the ideal solution for alleviating problems with damp in your home in Barnstaple. If you have noticed mould and damp inside your property or condensation on the windows then Positive Input Ventilation can help to reduce the humidity. It achieves this by constantly circulating fresh air. This continual refresh and replacement of the air inside your house increases air quality, reduces pollutants and odours and has been proven to enhance the daily life of asthma and allergy sufferers by reducing dust mite allergens in the air. One thing about PIV systems is that it works best when installed in an attic space, and your house does have to be reasonably airtight. Air, like water, will take the path of least resistance, and any gaps and spaces in windows or doors will let the fresh air get out, while bringing possible polluted air in from the outside environment.

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Damp Proofing Near Barnstaple

Also find: Strangeways damp proofing, Swimbridge damp proofing, Whiddon Valley damp proofing, Umberleigh damp proofing, Roundswell damp proofing, Landkey damp proofing, Tawstock damp proofing, Shirwell damp proofing, Miles Platting damp proofing, Sticklepath damp proofing, Bishops Tawton damp proofing, Goodleigh damp proofing, Lydacott damp proofing services and more. All of these places are catered for by companies who do damp proofing. Barnstaple homeowners can get damp proofing estimates by going here.

Barnstaple Damp Proofing Tasks

There is a range of work that can be carried out by your local Barnstaple damp proof specialist including defective damp proof course replacement Barnstaple, commercial tanking, landlord damp proofing services, industrial damp proofing Barnstaple, chemical DPC injection, damp treatments, invasive weed control, damp proofing old stone walls, cellar tanking in Barnstaple, rising damp advice, property surveys, damp proofing brickwork, damp proof membrane installation, solving condensation problems, replacement of defective flashingsDPC Barnstaple, damp proof paint application Barnstaple, damp proofing a garage in Barnstaple, damp proofing concrete floors, timber preservation, external damp proofing Barnstaple, cavity wall tie replacement, damp proofing in loft conversions, wall damp proofing, missing DPC installation, japanese knotweed control, resolving mould problems, positive input ventilation (PIV), damp control, damp course installation, cavity wall construction Barnstaple, damp proofing injection cream treatments, condensation treatments, treatments for condensation Barnstaple, damp proof coursing, pressure grouting, and more. Listed are just a handful of the activities that are accomplished by people specialising in damp proofing. Barnstaple specialists will keep you informed about their whole range of damp proofing services.

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