Penetrative damp is primarily caused by issues with the external fabric of the building. This can be anything from masonry construction or render, to damage of the roof or rainwater goods. If you think that you might have a problem, you need to contact a specialist to come and carry out an inspection. Preventing penetrative damp will make costly property damage completely avoidable.
These issues can emerge with the external envelope of the building. These can be as simple as a loose slate, blocked gutters/downpipes, or wind-driven rain. Properties in exposed areas will be more prone to this. Cracks in the render, badly fitted window frames/doors are all sources of damp penetration. Penetrating damp is present where an existing problem has allowed water to enter the property in one form or another.
Cavity walls can also be subject to penetrating damp. A cavity wall is a wall consisting of two separate walls separated by an internal cavity or space. All modern homes (built since the 20s and 30s) have cavity walls. This allows for penetrative moisture to evaporate before hitting the internal wall. This problem occurs when there is a breach in the cavity, allowing for water to migrate through the internal wall surfaces.
We will undertake a thorough inspection of your property, to establish what the cause of the problem is. Once we have established the nature of the issue, we can treat penetrating damp with traditional building techniques. We can achieve this by repairing the damage which allows the damp in – or by applying a physical membrane or chemical water repellent.