Damp is a common problem that many people have to deal with in their properties, especially in older properties that don’t have today’s damp proofing course installed. While it can be easy to ignore small damp patches or little clusters of dark mould on the walls, damp can very easily become a larger issue that can lead to a number of different problems including unpleasant smells along with an unappealing appearance and, more dangerously, health issues and structural problems inside of your home. Below we have a look at a few of the benefits of damp proofing your premises and the key explanations why you should get your home damp proofed.
Prevent health issues
Perhaps the main benefit of damp proofing your home is to stop health issues that can occur from being in a damp property. Mould and mildew forms and thrives in damp conditions and the very last thing that you’ll want is mould in your home. Mould typically appears in the form of unsightly patches of brown, black or green with a musty and dank smell and, if you are exposed to this mould and the toxins, it could be both unpleasant and dangerous. Health issues that are associated with damp and mould include headaches, wheezing, coughing and throat and eye irritation. Damp proofing walls will get rid of the above potential issues of health and make certain you and your family remain healthy.
Avoid unpleasant smells
As mentioned above, untreated mould because of this of damp can create a dank and musty smell around your home. You may experience an unpleasant smell but not know where it is coming from; this may be because the damp patch or mould spores are hidden behind a bit of furniture. The smell of damp and mould can become strong and overwhelming in your house; you do not want it to stop you from having guests around or for it to interfere with your everyday life. Luckily, with the correct damp treatment completed by a specialist you should be able to remove the smell fairly easily. Just remember that when it involves damp, out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind.
Improve the appearance of your home by damp proofing walls
As well as removing or avoiding an unpleasant smell, damp proofing your property will also increase the overall look of your home. No longer will you have dark patches of damp or mould spores crawling up your walls, but instead you will have a clean and smooth canvas to decorate over. Painting over damp patches can cause the paint to crack and ripple and, often, the black patches can show through paint. Rather than wasting your time and money on products so that they can cover damp patches, it is best to first damp proof your home completely. When the damp has been treated completely, you will have a clean smooth wall to paint over – and the paint will last on the walls far longer.
Avoid decreasing the value of your property
Unless treated properly and professionally, damp patches will be a continuous issue at home and the problem will keep coming back, especially if you are painting over these patches. If you are looking to sell up your home soon, or may potentially want to in the foreseeable future, then recurring damp spots could cause you a few problems. It could put future buyers off your property, as not many people will want to invest in a new home that already has problems and issues – particularly issues that can cause health issues and smells. It will likewise look generally unattractive on your walls, putting people off. Damp proofing your home will make sure that your property is top condition and the most appealing that it could be to buyers.
Prevent structural problems in your building
A more serious issue that can be caused by damp is structural harm to your house. Bad damp conditions can cause fundamental harm to the timbers in your property’s structure – something that you certainly want to avoid. Wet rot occurs whenever a fungus makes timber damp or wet. This wet rot fungi makes the wood feel spongy and mushy as it breaks the wood into fibres, triggering it to collapse and crumble away. Wet rot can also rot and fester in carpets, wallpapers and plaster.
Dry rot is an even more serious condition than wet rot; it can attack any area of your property and even grow through walls into neighbouring properties. Dry rot is a fungus that causes wood decay, attacking and digesting parts of wood that gives timber its strength and stiffness. This fungus essentially diminishes timber into a crumbly, dry state – not ideal when it can be an integral part of the structure of a building. Dry rot is caused when buildings and properties are poorly ventilated. Damp proofing your home will prevent both wet rot and dry rot.
Different types of damp
Different types of damp require different types of treatments and remedies, so that it is important to find out which type of damp is actually affecting your home before you find the correct treatment. Luckily, a surveyor from a damp proofing company can come out to your home and identify this for you. Below are three common types of damp:
Rising damp is caused by unwanted water and moisture moving slowly upwards through the walls and structure of a property. It usually influences older properties that do not have damp proof up to modern standard, but can be treated with rising damp treatment.
Condensation is usually caused by excess moisture and water vapour and poor ventilation in a property. Excess water vapour can be caused by everyday things such as showering or cooking. Condensation is most popular in homes that lack sufficient ventilation.
Penetrating damp occurs when water comes through the external material of a building (typically caused by rain penetration) and saturates a wall, triggering it to become damp.
Different types of damp treatment
Timber preservation is the best way to eliminate, restore and correct issues like woodworms and rotten wood.
Condensation control works by removing damp laden air, improving the quality of air and ensuring there is filtered and fresh air flowing into the exact property. The main way to regulate condensation is to effectively ventilate the property.
Resin beam end repair can fix broken or damaged structural points, including beam ends, in a building using a timber splice resin bonded with reinforcement rods.
Other types of treatment and damp proofing methods include wet rot and dry rot treatment, woodworm treatments and basement conversions.
Waterproof Lab EPDM Rubber Waterproofing
22 Plantation Road,Ottery, Cape Town, 7708
+27 78 012 5339
+27 21 415 1694