DAMP PROOFING, COMPLIMENTARY DAMP SURVEYS, BURY ST. EDMUNDS

Free Damp Surveys in Ipswich, Suffolk & Colchester.

Concerned about moisture problems in your residence? If you reside in Ipswich, Suffolk, or Colchester, we’re here to assist. Our experts provide complimentary damp assessments to gauge the severity and recommend the right fixes.

Excess moisture can compromise your property’s structural integrity, affect your well-being, and diminish its market value. Get in touch with us for a thorough evaluation. We are dedicated to safeguarding your home, ensuring it’s safe, conducive to good health, and free from damp issues. Take action now to maintain a moisture-free living environment.

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Suffolk Damp Proofing Experts

01473 561 031

Damp Proofing Specialists in Bury St Edmunds

Damp Proofing Solutions in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

If you’re concerned about damp issues in your home, we’re here to provide effective solutions. Our services include Damp Proofing Treatment, Rising Damp Treatment, Penetrating Damp Treatment, FREE DAMP SURVEYS, Timber Treatments, Plastering Services, and Carpentry Services in Bury St Edmunds.

As experts in Damp Proofing and Timber Preservation in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, we specialize in treating private, commercial, housing association, and public sector properties. Our services extend to Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk.

For a comprehensive assessment of the causes of damp and expert guidance on addressing these issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are committed to ensuring your property remains dry, safe, and free from damp problems.

Understanding the Causes of Damp:

Damp issues typically stem from three primary conditions: condensation, rising damp, and penetrating damp. These conditions result from the interaction between environmental factors and your home’s structure. For example, Bury St Edmunds Victorian houses in their original state are well-ventilated, but attempts to insulate them can lead to condensation problems.

Another significant concern, especially in Bury St Edmunds, is the changing weather patterns observed each year. Rising groundwater levels can overwhelm existing damp-proofing measures, while unusually heavy rainfall contributes to both penetrating damp and rising damp. Your specific damp problem may be a combination of these factors and more. In such cases, contacting a damp-proofing specialist is the quickest and easiest way to address the issue.

Recognizing a Damp Problem:

Identifying a damp problem may not always be straightforward. While condensation is usually evident through water droplets on painted walls and misted windows, other types of damp can manifest differently. Look for signs such as peeling wallpaper, blistering plaster, patches of black mold, or a persistent musty smell. Damage to skirting boards or tidemarks along walls can indicate rising damp. In such cases, a damp survey by a rising damp specialist can assess the extent of the issue.

Importance of Damp Proofing:

Damp proofing involves materials integrated into your property’s structure to keep moisture out. It differs from simple waterproofing. Damp proofing can be achieved through damp proof courses or damp proof membranes, which prevent moisture from spreading through walls due to capillary action. Cavity walls, with an air gap between interior and exterior walls, also aid in damp proofing by acting as a barrier to rainwater and preventing condensation.

Effective damp proofing is crucial because a damp home can lead to aesthetic, structural, and health problems. Black mold thrives in damp environments, affecting both your respiratory health and susceptibility to illnesses like colds and flu. Dampness not only detracts from your property’s appearance but also compromises its structural integrity and reduces its value.

Existing Damp Proofing:

If your house was constructed after 1870, it likely contains some form of damp proofing, such as cavity walls, a damp proof course, or damp proof membrane. However, older houses may have less effective damp proofing that degrades over time. Debris in cavity walls, decay of bitumen and hessian, and cracks in slate can compromise damp proofing. If your home predates the late 20th century, consider upgrading your damp proofing.

Basement Tanking and Its Advantages:

Basements or cellars are susceptible to damp and water penetration due to their below-ground location. Basement tanking is a process that can transform these spaces from damp, neglected areas into cozy extra rooms. Even if you don’t need the additional space now, tanking is a valuable investment that can increase your property’s value.

Basement tanking can involve coating walls with waterproof materials like cementitious coatings, membranes, or sealants. Alternatively, it may include installing a cavity drainage system. The first method excludes moisture entirely, while cavity drainage systems have advantages as they use the air gap between walls to help inner walls dry out.

Addressing Damp Odors:

Masking damp odors is not an effective solution. It’s essential to identify the source of the dampness. Look for visible leaks caused by overflowing gutters or rain penetration. If you can’t find hidden moisture sources, consider enlisting a leak detection service.

Additionally, condensation is a common issue, particularly during colder months. Improved ventilation, especially during activities that produce moisture, such as showering, cooking, or tumble-drying clothes, can help reduce condensation.

Cost of Damp Proofing:

The cost of damp proofing varies depending on factors such as the property’s size and the severity of the damp problem. We pride ourselves on offering high-quality, cost-effective solutions. We base pricing on the area treated, so larger projects have a lower unit cost.

Getting a Quote:

While we can provide a guide price and advice based on photos, an accurate quotation typically requires an on-site survey. Several factors, including the size of the property and the extent of the damp problem, affect the final quote.

Preserving Sound Plaster:

Not all cases require the removal of sound plaster. Maintaining existing plaster is essential in situations where it is of particular importance to you.

Guaranteed Damp Treatments:

Our damp treatments come with a guarantee of up to 30 years. We offer a 100% diagnosis and cure rate for all types of damp problems, no matter how complex they may be.

Minimizing Disruption:

We always strive to minimize disruption to you and your property during damp treatments. Whenever possible, we install damp-proof courses from the outside. However, certain situations, such as ground-level or access walls, may require installation from the inside. When our specialists work indoors, they take care to protect carpets and flooring.

Distinguishing Rising Damp from Condensation:

Rising damp typically appears on ground floors, particularly on exterior walls but can also affect interior walls. It can rise up to approximately one meter above ground level. In contrast, condensation can occur anywhere within the property when the right conditions are present. Inexperienced surveyors may misdiagnose condensation as rising damp if it appears on ground-level walls. It’s advisable to consult a skilled and trained surveyor for an accurate diagnosis.

Addressing Damp Near a Chimney Breast:

Damp issues near a chimney breast, despite previous treatment, may stem from past problems with rising damp or moisture penetration from the chimney breast. If the original plaster on the wall remains intact, hygroscopic salts within the plaster may attract damp from the atmosphere. To address this, specialists should inspect the site and accurately diagnose whether the problem results from rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, or leaking pipework.

Treating Damp on a Party Wall:

Damp on a party wall can be treated successfully, with the need to lift laminate flooring depending on the specific circumstances. Effective protection measures can often be implemented without lifting the flooring.

What Causes Damp Walls?
Can damp and mould affect my health?

Yes, if you have damp and mould in your home you’re more likely to have respiratory problems, respiratory infections, allergies or asthma. Damp and mould can also affect the immune system.

Who’s affected?

Some people are more sensitive than others, including:

  • babies and children
  • elderly people
  • those with existing skin problems, such as eczema
  • those with respiratory problems, such as allergies and asthma
  • those with a weakened immune system, such as those having chemotherapy

These people should stay away from damp and mould.

How does it affect your health?

Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and, sometimes, toxic substances. Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.

Causes of damp and mould

Mould and damp are caused by excess moisture. Moisture in buildings can be caused by leaking pipes, rising damp in basements or ground floors, or rain seeping in because of damage to the roof or around window frames.

A newly built home may be damp if the water used when building it is still drying out – for example, in the plaster on the walls. Excess moisture indoors can also be caused by condensation.

If you have mould or damp it’s important to find out why you have excess moisture in your home. When you know what’s causing the damp, you can make sure your home is repaired or take steps to limit the moisture in the air. You may need to get a professional to remove mould for you, but if it’s only a small amount you may be able to remove it yourself.

Article from NHS

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-damp-and-mould-affect-my-health/

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Damp Proofing Specialists Ipswich, Suffolk & Colchester

  • Damp Proofing Services
  • Timber Treatment
  • Condensation Control
  • Rising Damp Treatment
  • Penetrating Damp Treatment
  • Plastering
  • Carpentry
  • Decorating

FAQs

Damp is a common problem, that properties across the UK will suffer from at some stage. If untreated, damp can be extremely damaging to the structure and fabric of your home.
 
If you are unsure what causes structural dampness, it is the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building. Dampness is caused by either the result of penetration from outside or damp created within the property.
A high proportion of damp problems in buildings is caused by penetrating damp and rising damp. In most cases, dampness is caused by defects or damage to a building like defective roof coverings, render or rainwater gutters and downpipes.
Dampness can be found anywhere in a building and can affect all types of properties, old and new. It is important that when dampness is suspected you get an accurate diagnosis to determine the type of damp and the cause of the problem.
At Damp Proofing Specialists, we use a wide range of instruments and techniques in conjunction with our experience to investigate and identify the presence of excessive moisture in buildings. It is important that a professional surveyor assesses your property to determine what is causing the damp.

It is vital that your property has a damp proofed structure that will protect the building from problems such as penetrating damp, rising damp and below ground damp.

A Damp Proofing system is a moisture control barrier that can be applied to walls, floors and the structure to prevent moisture from passing into the interior living spaces. Damp issues in buildings is extremely common in the UK and damp remedial treatment is one of the most common property care repairs.

The ground below your floor should have a damp-proof membrane to stop damp coming from the ground and a damp-proof membrane can be applied to the internal side of an external wall to stop damp getting to your plaster and decoration. These membranes are also used on wall areas that are below ground level that can be affected by penetrating damp from the ground.

Plaster must be removed during the damp proofing process as rising damp coming from the ground not only brings moisture but also brings hygroscopic salts, nitrates, and chlorides.

Hygroscopic salts attract moisture from the atmosphere. These salts will contaminate the plaster inside the property and even after a remedial DPC has been inserted the salt contaminated plaster can still become damp. It is vital that contaminated plaster is stripped and replaced during the treatment.

Suffolk & Essex Damp Proofing Experts