Types of Damp | A Guide for Homeowners

The Different Types Of Damp

There are many kinds of damp occurring for various reasons, but they all have the same effect: mould and property damage.

If you are not sure what kind of damp you have on your property, our London damp specialists will be glad to help you distinguish it and tell you what has caused it.

Penetrating damp

First, there is what we call ‘penetrating damp’, which is also called water ingress. This is water that has entered your building from outside or due to leaks in the plumbing. 

When a property’s floor, ceiling, or internal and external walls get penetrated by water, it will be soaked with moisture, leading to severe growth of mould. If the water comes from the ground, it will cause more damage, as it contains hygroscopic salts. This will attract more water and absorb it into the structure of your property.

When this happens, your house will attract wood-boring beetles and other insects, forcing you to replace your timbers entirely.

Penetrating damp will also result in mould growth and may even cause or worsen health issues like asthma. Not only will you need to spend money on property repairs, but you will also need to deal with medical issues.

Treating penetrating damp involves a combination of detective work and craftsmanship. Our damp experts will conduct a thorough survey of your property to identify the cause of the penetrating damp. Once identified, they will use special damp proofing materials to ensure a flawless finish and prevent penetrating damp.

Lateral Damp

Then there’s lateral damp. This is due to groundwater entering your property through cracks in the building, which is why most basements are cold and damp.

Houses located in places with high water levels are more susceptible to this kind of problem.

Lateral damp is just as damaging, and if untreated, it can harm the structure of your property, weakening the foundation of the entire building.

Moisture may also cause electrical shocks if it touches internal wiring, which can be dangerous for you and your family.

To prevent this, your house’s basement should have reliable tanking systems as per existing building regulations. But if you feel like your cellar is too damp, don’t just assume that it is caused by lateral damp.

Lateral damp is often confused with rising damp, as they both show similar symptoms. While both should be fixed as soon as possible, there is a specific kind of treatment for each.

A London damp specialist will treat the former with tanking solutions, while the latter will be fixed with damp proofing techniques.

It is best to call recommended damp specialists to confirm the type of problem your property is facing so you can address it immediately.

At Environ Property Services, we are dedicated to delivering top-quality damp solutions to our clients. We understand the detrimental effects of untreated damp on both our clients’ properties and their well-being. Our objective is to eliminate damp from our clients’ properties promptly and efficiently.

Rising Damp

Rising damp is one of the most common kinds of damp or mould. The name itself gives you an indication of how it starts. Moisture from the ground travels upwards onto the walls through capillary action, seeping into the bricks or wood, depending on the materials your walls are made of. Rising damp can also occur when existing damp proof courses fail, causing damage to your walls and internal surfaces.

Rising damp can cause damage to walls, which often becomes visible inside when signs begin to appear on paint, wallpaper, or plastered surfaces. Damp of this kind can potentially cause health problems, including respiratory issues and skin allergies.

When your property falls victim to rising damp, your walls need much more than just new wallpaper or a new coat of paint to solve the problem. It needs immediate treatment to stop further damage and prevent it from coming back again in the future.

Some of the most common visible signs of rising damp are stains and tide marks on your walls. You may also notice wallpaper starting to peel and skirting boards beginning to rot. There may also be a musty smell in and around the area.

Other signs include black mould on the plaster, salts within the plaster, and salts forming on the external bricks. Once any of these signs appear, it’s time to call our London rising damp specialists.

The only effective way to treat rising damp is by repairing or installing a damp proof course (DPC). This can be a challenging task, so it’s important to accurately diagnose the issue before applying any treatment to stop or prevent rising damp.

Condensation damp

Condensation damp occurs when moist air inside your home comes into contact with cold surfaces like windows, walls, or mirrors, forming water droplets. This type of damp is particularly common in winter when the central heating is on, but ventilation is inadequate.

Condensation damp affects ground floor rooms and can cause damp patches on walls and ceilings, which may result in mould growth and a musty smell. Common areas for condensation damp include rooms with cavity wall insulation, window frames, and solid walls without adequate ventilation. If left unchecked, condensation damp can lead to the presence of brown stain and wet patches on your walls and ceilings, damaging paint and wallpaper.