Damp Proofing Stoke-on-Trent

Damp Proofing Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire (ST1): It isn't just the fact that damp problems look terrible, they can also induce chronic health problems and lead to dangerous structural damages. Underneath those ugly damp patches, areas of peeling wallpaper and clumps of flaking paintwork, far more serious issues could be lurking, and if they're not resolved swiftly, could be fairly expensive to repair. If you believe that you may have such issues you should call in a professional Stoke-on-Trent damp proofing specialist to check your property, and come up with the most beneficial damp proofing treatment for your home or business premises.

When considering dampness in Stoke-on-Trent homes, there are basically three principal causes:

PENETRATING DAMP

Penetrating damp can be the result of numerous external factors for example: damaged or porous brickwork, loose or broken roof tiles, defective drainpipes or guttering and blocked cavity walls. Inside your Stoke-on-Trent property, it can be a result of cracked shower trays, burst or leaking pipes and overflowing baths or basins. Woodwork and walls can be impacted if left uncontrolled, and will be noticeable as blistered or broken plaster, peeling paintwork and dark, damp patches on walls.

If neglected for a while, a leaky roof can cause wet rot in your roof timbers. Though it doesn't spread into brickwork, wet rot can cause the timber in your roof to become structurally compromised, and in the worst outcome you could even need to replace the whole roof - extremely expensive! A distinctive musty smell, a "spongy" feel to your roof timbers and signs of a black fungus, could all signify the presence of wet rot.

Preventative measures can be basic, such as cleaning your rain gutters & roof and checking for leaks, examining pipework for leaks and repointing brickwork. As part of an overall damp proofing arrangement, your local Stoke-on-Trent damp proofing company will check all these factors.

CONDENSATION

Very easy to identify and a cause of damp in a lot of Stoke-on-Trent homes, condensation is incredibly common. Water collects as droplets on a cold surface, when warm, humid air makes contact with it. In places with high humidity, as in: kitchens, boiler rooms and bathrooms, it's often caused because of poor ventilation.

There are two simple ways of addressing condensation, and these are making sure that trouble spots have sufficient ventilation, and wiping droplets of water away as they appear on surfaces. To help redirect the moisture laden air from your home, you may need to install or upgrade cooker hoods, extractor fans and air bricks.

By carrying out an exhaustive damp proofing survey, a trustworthy Stoke-on-Trent company will identify any spots where damp air is sucked in from outside, simply making things worse. Airflow must be properly regulated to adequately control condensation problems, and a certified damp proofing technician will offer advice and solutions on this matter.

RISING DAMP

Houses constructed since 1875 in Great Britain have required a damp proof course or membrane to be fitted as standard. It's quite possible that you may not have one fitted if your home in Stoke-on-Trent was built before this time. If you're experiencing rising damp in a property built after this time it may be that your damp proof membrane or course has been damaged in some way.

Although hard to distinguish, "tide marks" on walls, crumbling or rotten skirtings and white powdery deposits being found on floor surfaces or appearing on walls, are all giveaway signs of rising damp. While the existence of these is not conclusive, they are all indications of rising damp.

Solving rising damp issues can be as straightforward as checking your property's outside walls to see if you can spot a damp course. For adequate protection it ought to be 150mm above the level of the ground. You can dig away the surrounding earth to generate this gap if it is currently not sufficient, or you could put in a damp proof membrane (DPM) higher up if the first option is not possible.

If your damp course is installed and in order and the gap isn't the cause of the problem, dampness may be coming up through your floors and into your walls, which might be a more problematic issue.

Stoke-on-Trent damp proofing technicians will swiftly be able to determine the cause of your rising damp issues, and using a number of different techniques will soon deal with the problem. If you have an older property with no damp proof membrane or it is damaged over a considerable area, a damp proof cream (such as Dryzone or Permaguard) can be injected into your outside walls. This involves the drilling of holes at evenly spaced intervals in your brickwork and the cream injected with a special nozzle to plug the gaps behind the brickwork down to below ground level.

If the deterioration of the DPM is too drastic, or if damp proofing cream is not a satisfactory treatment, you may have to install a brand new damp proof course. Regrettably this is taking repair work to the extreme, but it may be the only resolution to your rising damp.

Yet another option for minimal areas of damage may include painting with a bitumen based, waterproof latex emulsion. This has to be applied beneath your current floor coverings, so carpeting, tiles and wooden flooring will need to be lifted before any work is done. This is especially efficacious in basement areas as an integral part of the tanking procedure to create a watertight room. For additional protection in these trouble spots, your Stoke-on-Trent damp proofing expert may advise the laying of building paper (a foil backed specialist membrane) before the bitumen coating has completely dried.

Tanking: Tanking a room, such as a cellar or basement, is the process of coating any exposed surfaces in a watertight paint. This has to be applied on the base surface of floors and walls, so all plaster and wall covering must be removed and the appropriate surfaces properly prepared before work commences. When this coating has been applied and dried, it is then the time to replaster the walls and decorate over the top. Since it has to be applied to a whole ground floor or basement level of a building, this is a highly disruptive process. Therefore, it is wise to contact at least 2 or 3 damp proofing specialists to ensure that this is really the only possible resolution.

SOLVING DAMP WITH DEHUMIDIFIERS

Dehumidifiers are an efficient way of reducing the moisture content in the air, so for issues with condensation they can be of help. Owing to the fact that dehumidifiers merely hide the cause of the damp and not get rid of it, there are disadvantages to this option. An experienced damp proofing company in Stoke-on-Trent will be able to give you advice on the best solution if you are suffering from damp in any part of your property.

FINDING A RELIABLE DAMP PROOF EXPERT IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

Friends and relations should always be the first port of call when you are trying to get recommendations for local professionals. Where possible you should always see if you can get at least 3 or 4 different quotes from a range of companies, and before signing up for any particular damp proof providers, you should ask to see qualifications and professional memberships, as evidence of their credibility.

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

You can guarantee that your damp proofing specialist is well qualified and has acquired the necessary working experience to provide a top notch damp proofing service, if they are members of the DPA or PCA. Any remedial work carried out by any one of their members is also guaranteed.

Woodworm Treatment

Woodworm is a common issue that affects lots of buildings, particularly older properties in Stoke-on-Trent. It's caused by the larvae of certain kinds of beetles that feast on the timber and can cause significant damage over the years. Consequently, it's essential to take steps to treat and prevent woodworm infestations.

The initial step in woodworm prevention is to identify the signs of an infestation. These include small holes in the wood, sawdust or frass on the floor or nearby surfaces, and damaged or weakened wood. If you notice any of these signs, it's crucial that you act swiftly and call a professional woodworm specialist. Once an infestation has been identified, the species of beetle causing the problem needs to be identified as different species require different treatments. Expert woodworm specialists can carry out an inspection and advise on the best plan of action.

Insecticides are one of the most effective techniques for treating woodworm, which can be applied in gel or liquid form. These treatments deeply penetrate the timber and eliminate the larvae. This strategy is best suited to minor infestations, and a professional can determine whether this is the best option. For more extreme infestations, it may be necessary to use fumigation. This involves sealing the affected area and discharging a gas into the space to exterminate the woodworm larvae. Fumigation is a far more invasive treatment, but for large infestations, it is typically the best option.

In order to thwart the possibility of future woodworm infestations, it is essential to establish an unsuitable environment for their growth. This can be achieved through the implementation of measures such as regulating humidity levels, ensuring proper ventilation, and treating any existing woodworm infestations immediately upon discovery. By adopting a preventative approach and taking these precautions, one can effectively reduce the risk of woodworm damage and avoid the costs that's associated with remediation.

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Damp proofing surveys - article 202.

More Stoke-on-Trent Tradesmen: Undoubtedly, when you happen to be doing home renovations in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, you will probably be in need of all kinds of different tradesmen and aside from a damp proofer in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, you might additionally need a tiler in Stoke-on-Trent, a plumber in Stoke-on-Trent, a handyman in Stoke-on-Trent, a bricklayer in Stoke-on-Trent, painters & decorators in Stoke-on-Trent, waste removal in Stoke-on-Trent, electricians in Stoke-on-Trent, repointing in Stoke-on-Trent, carpenters in Stoke-on-Trent, rendering in Stoke-on-Trent, SKIP HIRE in Stoke-on-Trent, stone & brick cleaning in Stoke-on-Trent, floor sanding in Stoke-on-Trent, concrete flooring in Stoke-on-Trent, garage conversion in Stoke-on-Trent, a builder in Stoke-on-Trent, scaffolders in Stoke-on-Trent, and other different Stoke-on-Trent specialists.

Damp Proofing Near Stoke-on-Trent

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Stoke-on-Trent Damp Proofing Tasks

There are a whole host of tasks that can be conducted by your local Stoke-on-Trent damp proofing specialist including rising damp prevention, timber treatments, basement damp proofing Stoke-on-Trent, plaster replacement, external damp proofing Stoke-on-Trent, wall damp proofing, damp proof coursing, floor damp proofing, domestic damp proofing Stoke-on-Trent, defective DPC replacement, pressure grouting, cavity wall tie replacement, damp proofing old stone walls, industrial damp proofing Stoke-on-Trent, cavity wall construction, property surveys, condensation control, damp proofing solutions in kitchens, damp proofing a cellar Stoke-on-Trent, dehumidifier installation Stoke-on-Trent, damp proofing brickwork, cheap damp proofing Stoke-on-Trent, damp proof sealing Stoke-on-Trent, penetrating damp treatments, damp proofing a garage, solving condensation problems, property preservation, concrete damp proofing Stoke-on-Trent, damp proof paint applications, timber surveys, home damp proofing, damp proof membrane installation in Stoke-on-Trent, woodworm treatment, rendering repairs, timber preservation, and more. These are just a handful of the tasks that are handled by those doing damp proofing. Stoke-on-Trent professionals will be delighted to keep you abreast of their full range of services.

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