Rising or Penetrating Damp?

Dampness is commonly found in older buildings throughout the UK.

Dampness is a difficult problem to identify the source of and resolve, due to its diverse nature. The symptoms can be dealt with but not without at least attempting to find the causation and solving it.

Homeowners often confuse penetrating and rising damp. They can both be serious problems, but it’s important to take the time to understand the difference between them.

Too much moisture can cause all sorts of problems in your home, like structural damage, decorative spoilage and plaster staining. Mould outbreaks can also cause more serious health risks if left untreated.

There are multiple types of dampness that your house might have. We want to talk about the differing aspects of penetrative damp and rising damp.

Damp That Rises

Rising damp is an issue when water seeps through the building’s walls and flooring, which could not be stopped by installing a damp proof course. This is normally present in older homes that do not have a an adequate damp proof barrier.

The nitrates at the top of the damp stains on walls, typically between 1 and 1.5m tall, can show that moist conditions have been present for a long time.

Signs you have rising damp:

• Paint or wallpaper coming off the wall
• Have wet spots on your walls
• Skirting boards or plaster shows signs of mould
• Stains located on within a 1.5m height
• If you notice a white powder near the top of walls in your home, it may be because of crystallised nitrate salts. The material may be the result of water and moisture damage and can also lead to stains on surfaces like paint and wallpaper.

About Penetrating Damp

When water leaks into a building from the outside, it usually ends up in a wall. This is then either Vertical Penetration or Lateral Penetration.

Lateral penetration is the name for dampness that has seeped into your walls. This is often due to your property being built on top of the underground ground, which means the dampness seeps into the walls.

When it comes to dealing with vertical penetration damp issues, it’s usually caused by poor building upkeep or structural defects within the building.

Poor building maintenance and structural defects can bring about other issues such as mould growth and thus, should be taken care of sooner rather than later. Over time, small leaks or cracks in your wall can lead to water damage inside your home.

Penetrating damp signs:

• Pools of water or drops of water forming
• Damp, damaged plaster
• Wallpaper and paint blotches
• The damp circles tend to darken in periods where you receive a lot of rainfall.

Think You Have A Damp Problem?

Damp is a major problem in many homes, and it can get worse if not dealt with quickly.

If you’re concerned about damp at home and want to stop the issue from worsening, please get in touch with a local company that specialises in damp proofing Leicester. We use specialist training and cutting edge damp survey equipment to find the root cause of any damp problem. We can also recommend what course of action to take