Damp Proofing in Newcastle
Professional Damp Proofing in Newcastle
Experienced in all aspects of damp proofing in Newcastle with over 20 years of combined expertise for both residential and commercial clients. When it comes to home ownership, there are few common traps as dreaded as damp. It’s a problem that continues to catch out many unsuspecting homeowners, inexperienced and experienced alike. Damp is a common problem, that the majority of properties across the UK will suffer from at some stage. If left untreated, damp can be extremely damaging to the aesthetics, structure and ultimately the value of your home. Finding the quickest and most effective solution for your needs, while staying within your budget can be a daunting task.
Knowing what type of damp, you are dealing with is the first step. Next is to examine your house for any tell-tale signs and identify the sources of unwanted moisture and water, in the walls, ceilings or floors and work your way from the interior to the exterior of your house. General guidelines are: condensation appears in areas of the house with poor ventilation, penetrating appears on walls and ceilings and moves horizontally, and rising damp starts on the ground floor and moves vertically up walls.
What are the Most Common Types of Damp Proofing in Newcastle
There are several different types of damp problems that can affect a property. From condensation damp to penetrating damp to rising damp. There are other related issues that can coincide with all types of damp such as woodworm, wet rot and dry rot.
Different types of damp affect specific areas of a property in different ways and therefore often require particular treatment. It can get quite confusing because of so many different types of damp problems and the many different damp proofing solutions available. When choosing a local damp proofing company in Newcastle, it is essential they have the knowledge and experience to identify the specific problem and explain in detail the cause and treatment solution.
We visit many properties where previous damp proofing has failed due to clients either having tried to “fix” the damp themselves or they have paid a local builder or damp proofing contractor who has not carried out damp proofing work to BS 6576 Code of Practice for Installation of Chemical Damp Proof Course.
At DP Damp Proofing, all of our remedial damp proofing and timber treatment work comes with a 30 year written guarantee. We have a 100% success rate with no guarantee claims to date.
So, here is a brief guide and explanation to the best damp proofing solutions for various damp problems.
Rising Damp
Rising damp is caused by water being pulled up through the ground and up a wall, through the fine pours of the masonry and brick work. Similar to a sponge, your exterior walls can soak up ground water because it sits below the surrounding ground or it lacks proper drainage. Symptoms of rising damp are usually pronounced at the bottom of interior or exterior walls, and sometimes can extend upwards as far as 1 metre high. Visual internal damage would be noticeable just above skirting board level or to surface plaster, paint or wallpaper peeling near the base of your walls, and wet patches with possible white residues. As with penetrating damp, dealing with faulty or damaged structural causes will need to be factored in order to provide the most effective treatment and remedial solution.
Rising damp often occurs because a damp proof course has failed (or there simply isn’t one in a property). Typically, a plastic strip, bitumen or slate in older houses forms the damp proof barrier known as a damp proof course (or physical DPC). Essentially, the damp proof course stops water rising up the walls beyond a certain level (as it will naturally do). If the barrier is broken, the water continues to rise – hence the term rising damp.
When treating rising damp, the most obvious damp proofing solution is to insert a new damp proof course. These days, an injectable chemical DPC is most commonly used. Here, waterproofing chemicals are injected into holes drilled into the wall in a horizontal line, forming a waterproof barrier.
The ground level of a property needs to be at least 15cm below the line of a damp proof course. If this is not the case, applying a liquid membrane below DPC level or soil excavation may be required.
Following the insertion of a new DPC, a damp proof membrane is often installed on the interior wall. This is a stud a plastic sheet that forms an additional waterproof barrier for the inner wall.
Penetrating Damp
Unlike condensation, it is most often caused by water entering through walls from the exterior. This type of damp usually expands in a horizontal fashion and from the top down, across ceilings and down walls. Penetrating damp can be a symptom of structural problems in properties, such as faulty guttering, roofing, cracks in the walls or damaged seals around windows. These faults let water in when there is heavy rainfall. It can also be caused by leaky pipes from faulty plumbing at sinks and bathtubs. Signs you may have penetrating damp are damp patches higher on walls or ceilings, which may darken when it rains.
Whatever the defect is, it will need to be addressed before you can think about a suitable damp proofing solution for the property.
The solution you choose will be determined by the extent of the damage that had been caused, and the extent to which water has penetrated into the inner walls. In many cases especially when surface plaster has been damaged it may be necessary to apply a stud membrane prior to replastering.
Condensation
The most common kind of damp is condensation. This is especially visible in rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms that generate high levels of moisture through daily use. Condensation can be exacerbated by a lack of ventilation for air to escape the house and evaporate outdoors. In older homes that have been renovated to be more energy efficient this is especially pronounced as the moist air is trap in. If left untreated, condensation can damage paint and plaster, cause window frames to decay, and be a potential health hazard by giving mould a place to grow inside your home.
With condensation, as long as it is identified and dealt with soon enough, the damage to a property is likely to only be superficial and cosmetic, rather than structural. There should be no need for any major work. The problem can usually be rectified both quickly and cheaply – and very often you probably won’t need to call in any professional help.
Condensation is caused by an excess of moisture within a home. Moist air condenses on walls. It’s often, although not exclusively, more of an issue during the winter months as at this time of the year the walls of a property are much colder than the air inside it. It’s also usually more of an issue in rooms that naturally have more moisture in them, such as the kitchen or bathroom.
The most obvious solution for condensation damp is to improve ventilation. This can even be as simple as just opening windows more often and for longer. In fact, anything that reduces the amount of moisture in the home is a good way of reducing condensation problems. A couple of examples of this in practice would be putting lids on pans when cooking and not drying washed clothes on radiators.
Often though, condensation will require a little more than just changing a few habits about the home. Common and effective ways of improving ventilation include installing air bricks to external walls (these are bricks specially designed with small holes in them to allow for ventilation), or window vents that can be added above windows. Any type of vent is a useful solution. These could be air vents on internal walls or for sealed chimneys and also roof ventilation tiles.
The most effective means of improving ventilation is the most important. It’s also the most expensive, but should only cost a few hundred pounds. That is a kitchen and bathroom fan. As mentioned earlier, these are the rooms in the home that create the most moisture so it is the kitchen and bathroom that require the most ventilation.
How much does Damp Proofing cost? Damp Proofing prices in Newcastle
While it is not easy to be exact, damp proofing costs in Newcastle can vary significantly depending on the extent of the problem, the size of the property, the method of damp treatment used, and whether you use a local builder/handyman or an experienced damp proofing company which guarantees their work. Most damp proofing companies will have a minimum job charge ranging between £400 and £1000 for some of the larger national companies with extensive business overheads.
The written estimate included within the damp proofing inspection report will include full damp proofing works including plaster removal, chemical damp proof course injection (DPC), stud membrane physical barrier, replastering and waste disposal.
We are happy to discuss potential ways to reduce the cost of work during the free initial inspection which could include; clients removing surface plaster prior to commencement of works, clients being responsible for their own waste removal or even doing their own plastering as many of our landlords or builder clients prefer when carrying out full property renovations.
Additional costs that homeowners would be required to pay include; redecoration, refitting of skirting boards along with potential replacement of skirting boards if existing ones damaged or rotten.
How to Book Free Damp Proofing Inspection in Newcastle and Surrounding Areas
It takes an experienced damp proofing specialist to spot potential problems with a damp and timber infestation in a building and to ensure that any problems are diagnosed correctly. As part of our free no obligation damp proofing inspection our managing director David Walker- Graham (Dave the Damp Man) will inspect both the interior and the exterior of your property, identifying any existing or potential issues relating to both damp proofing and sub floor ventilation which is essential for timber preservation.
During our inspection, we will establish if the property already has an existing damp proof course and if so what type. We will observe and comment on the height of current ground levels as if too high this can lead to a bridging of any damp proof course and potentially cause decay in any adjacent timbers. Internally, ground floor walls are profiled for signs of dampness.
We will then compile a full written report (including where necessary a sketch plan detailing work that needs to be carried out) usually within 3 to 4 working days following inspection.
Should you have any questions either during or following the inspection you can contact our managing director directly who will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Important note for home buyers: – Although often requested as part of the house buying process any damp proofing internal and visual inspection is conducted using non-destructive testing of accessible walls with the aid of an electronic moisture meter to detect moisture levels within the surface plaster or brickwork.
This free inspection does not constitute a full structural survey. If you are purchasing a property and require such a report we recommend you contact RICS (The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors)
Book Free Inspection Without Obligation
Professional advice from local North East Damp & Timber specialists for the most appropriate remedial solutions for all damp and timber treatments.
