Damp Proofing Birmingham

Damp Proofing Birmingham West Midlands (B1): You should be seriously worried if you have problems with damp in your house in Birmingham, because along with looking undesirable, damp can have a negative impact on your health and affect the structural condition of your building. Costing 1000s to repair if not solved swiftly, more extreme problems can easily be hidden under peeling wallpaper, damp patches and flaking paintwork. To deliver a complete damp proofing option for your property, it is generally cheaper in the longer term to call in a professional Birmingham damp proofing specialist to check out your property.

In Birmingham dwellings there are three main problem areas of how damp can affect your property:

PENETRATING DAMP

Common exterior issues like: defective drainpipes or guttering, blocked cavities, porous brickwork and broken or loose roof tiles, can all be major causes of penetrating damp in a structure. Inside your Birmingham home, it can be a result of cracked shower trays, burst or dripping pipework and overflowing bathtubs or basins. If left unchecked, walls and woodwork can be seriously affected, and the certain evidence of this will be damp, dark patches on walls, peeling or bubbling paintwork and blistering or broken plaster.

You may get wet rot developing in the timbers of your roof, if you have a leaky roof, and it's been left untreated for some time. Whilst it cannot spread into your brickwork, wet rot can cause your roof timbers to become structurally dangerous, and in a worst case scenario you might even need to have a new roof - extremely costly! A musty smell of decaying wood, the presence of black fungus, and a "spongy" feel to your roof timbers, are all indicators of wet rot.

Some simple preventative measures can help to prevent this, such as: cleaning and checking your roof & guttering for leaks, repointing brickwork and inspecting pipes for leaks. A knowledgeable Birmingham damp proof service will check these areas to help prevent any further problems, as an element of fixing your issues with dampness.

CONDENSATION

A common form of damp in Birmingham homes, condensation is super easy to spot. Minute droplets of water form on colder surfaces when warm, moist air makes contact with them. Where high humidity is present, as in bathrooms, boiler rooms and kitchens, condensation is often caused by poor ventilation.

There are two basic ways of dealing with condensation issues, and these are making sure that problem areas have plenty of ventilation, and wiping water droplets away as they appear on surfaces. You can reduce the amount of damp air that's present in your house by installing or updating extractor fans, air bricks and cooker hoods.

By doing an in-depth damp proofing survey, an experienced Birmingham company will find any spots where moist air is sucked in from the outside, simply making matters worse. An expert in this industry will be able to provide advice, solutions and information on this matter, because in order for condensation problems to be controlled, circulation and airflow within the home must be regulated properly.

RISING DAMP

Houses constructed since 1875 in Great Britain have been required to have a damp proof course to be fitted as standard. You might not have a damp course on your home in Birmingham if it was built earlier than this. If you are experiencing rising damp in a property constructed after this period it might be that your damp proof course has been somehow or other.

Rising damp can be rather difficult to distinguish, but some things to watch out for are; rotten or crumbling skirtings, tide marks on walls and white powdery deposits being discovered on floor surfaces or appearing on walls. If you see or think that you may have any of these issues, it's possible that you have a problem with rising damp.

Fixing rising damp problems can be as simple as checking your home's external walls to see if you can spot a DPM. To be sure of an adequate degree of protection the DPM ought to be above ground level by no less than 150mm (approximately 6 inches). Where you discover this space does not exist, you can dig away the soil to increase it, or if this process isn't possible, a higher DPM will need to be installed.

You might have more serious issues if you find that your damp course is okay, and it might be that the moisture is rising from the ground, through your flooring, and into your property's walls, which can be even more worrying.

Using a number of procedures, damp proofing specialists in Birmingham can quickly identify and solve rising damp issues. If you have a somewhat older home with no damp proof membrane or one that is damaged over a significant area, a damp proof cream (such as Permaguard) can be carefully injected into your outside walls. This entails the drilling of holes at evenly spaced intervals along the wall's mortar joint and the special cream injected with a nozzle to fill up the gaps behind the brickwork down to below ground level.

In situations where damp proofing injection cream is not an appropriate treatment, or where the membrane is too extensively damaged, putting in a new damp proof course could be neccessary. Whilst this sort of repair work is a fairly drastic way to solve rising damp, it may be your only effective solution in the end.

Yet another option for minimal areas of damp course damage may include painting with a waterproof (bitumen based) latex emulsion. Laminate flooring, tiles or carpets must be lifted before any work is carried out, as it is applied underneath your floor coverings. Also used as part of the "tanking" process to make a room watertight, this is a particularly effective treatment in cellars. Your Birmingham damp proofing technician might advise laying building paper (a foil backed specialist membrane) before the bitumen paint has completely dried out, additional protection in those troublesome areas.

Tanking: Tanking a room, like a cellar or below ground space, is a process of coating any exposed surfaces with a watertight paint. This should be applied on the base surface of floors and walls, so all wall coverings and plaster must be removed and the appropriate surfaces correctly prepared before work commences. Once this paint has been put on and is dry, it's then the time to replaster and decorate over the top. As it needs to be applied to an entire ground floor or basement level of a building, this is a really disruptive job. It's therefore a good idea to contact at least three damp proofing professionals to guarantee that this is really the only solution.

SOLVING DAMP PROBLEMS WITH DEHUMIDIFIERS

Dehumidifiers are an effective way to remove moisture from the air, so for condensation issues they can help quite a lot. The fact that they primarily hide the cause of the damp and not cure it, is the drawback with dehumidifier use. A certified damp proofing specialist in Birmingham will be glad to advise on possible solutions if you're experiencing mould or damp in any area of your house.

FINDING A RELIABLE DAMP PROOF COMPANY IN BIRMINGHAM

Friends and family should always be your first choice when you are looking for recommendations for local specialists. Where possible you should always see if you can get at least two or three different quotes from a variety of companies, and before signing up to any specific damp proofing services, you can ask to see qualifications and professional membership certificates, as a verification of their trustworthiness.

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

You can be sure that your damp proofing specialist is well qualified and has the necessary experience to carry out a high quality damp proofing service, if they are members of the PCA or DPA. Any work carried out by one of their members also comes with a guarantee.

Woodworm Treatment and Prevention in Birmingham

Woodworm infestations are fairly common in Birmingham, especially in older buildings. The woodworm larvae feed on wood, weakening structures and causing damage over time. If left unresolved, woodworm can cause major damage and compromise the structural integrity of buildings. Thankfully, there are effective woodworm treatment options available in Birmingham.

Identifying the kind of beetle responsible for a woodworm infestation is the initial step in effectively treating the problem. Depending on the specific species, different treatments may be required to eradicate the pests and prevent further damage. Seeking the assistance of a knowledgeable woodworm professional is highly recommended, because they can conduct a thorough evaluation of the situation and offer expert advice on the most suitable methods of treatment to tackle the infestation and safeguard the integrity of the timber.

Insecticides are the most common technique for treating woodworm, and can be applied in gel or liquid form. These treatments seep into the timber and exterminate the larvae. For more serious infestations, fumigation might be the answer. Fumigation involves sealing the area in question and discharging a gas into the space to eliminate the larvae.

In order to avoid the occurrence of woodworm infestations in the future, it is important to create an environment that's not conducive to their development. This can be accomplished by implementing measures such as adequate ventilation, maintaining appropriate humidity levels, and promptly addressing any existing woodworm issues as soon as they are detected. By taking these preventative steps, one can effectively safeguard against the expense and damage associated with woodworm infestations.

Frequent inspections of the building can help identify any infestations of woodworm early on, allowing for timely treatment to minimise damage. In addition, using timber which has been treated with a woodworm repellent can help to prevent future infestations.

Black Mould

If you're experiencing signs of black mould, you may have an issue with Stachybotrys chartarum. This fungus is extremely toxic and produces a slime head called conidia. It is known as a leading cause of indoor air pollution and is considered to be a health hazard. If you see signs of this sort of mould in your dwelling in Birmingham, you ought to get in touch with an experienced damp proofing specialist immediately, to get the best treatment.

The first step in removing mould is to clean the affected area with soapy water. You should also use a disinfectant such as bleach, which should kill mould spores. White vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are also effective disinfectants. However, you must be very careful when using bleach, as it could burn and irritate your eyes. Also, make certain there is adequate ventilation in the area where you're working, to avoid inhaling the fumes.

Another solution is to use a water and baking soda paste to treat mould. This has a pH of 2.5, making it an effective antibacterial solution. Hydrogen peroxide is another solution that can be effective for removing black mould. It's a natural, 3 in 1 solution that is safe to use, especially on porous surfaces.

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Damp Proofing Near Birmingham

Also find: Lea Hall damp proofing, Bromford damp proofing, Small Heath damp proofing, Birchfield damp proofing, Aston damp proofing, Druids Heath damp proofing, Handsworth Wood damp proofing, Selly Oak damp proofing, Ladywood damp proofing, Highgate damp proofing, Bordesley Green damp proofing, Edgbaston damp proofing services and more. Most of these locations are covered by companies who do damp proofing. Birmingham home and business owners can get quotes by going here.

Birmingham Damp Proofing Tasks

There is a wide range of work that can be carried out by your local Birmingham damp proof specialist including chemical DPC injection, home damp proofing in Birmingham, solving condensation problems, efflorescence solutions in Birmingham, concrete damp proofing Birmingham, rising damp advice, damp treatments, condensation control, missing damp proof course installation, cavity wall tie replacement, rising damp prevention Birmingham, cellar damp proofing Birmingham, dehumidifier installation, PIV (positive input ventilation) Birmingham, treatments for condensation, damp proof sealing, damp proofing services, damp proofing a cellar in Birmingham, resolving mould problems, property surveys, concrete repairs Birmingham, damp proofing estimates Birmingham, basement tanking, damp proofing assessments Birmingham, damp proof paint applications, damp proofing concrete floors, woodworm eradication, invasive weed control Birmingham, pressure grouting, vapour barriers, plaster replacement Birmingham, structural waterproofing Birmingham, damp proofing floors, damp proofing inspections, timber preservation, and more. These are just a handful of the activities that are performed by people specialising in damp proofing. Birmingham providers will be happy to tell you about their full range of damp proofing services.

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