Penetrating damp is essentially water which has found its way through the fabric of your home. This is usually because of an external defect. Defects come in various ways such as damaged rainwater goods, defective pointing, porous masonry, faulty roof or cracked and broken render. When it rains, rainwater usually evaporates out of the brick / stone work. However, in certain circumstances, moisture fails to evaporate and is allowed to pass through to the inside. Caused include: periods of heavy rainfall or when your home suffers from an external defect (as mentioned above).
How To Identify Penetrating Damp
- The presence of a damp musty smell. Damage to internal walls (skirting boards) or external (roofing).
- Patchy black mould appearing internally on walls.
- Watermarks that may appear on the masonry.
- Damaged Timber as a result of the wood being saturated by damp (which could have the potential of providing the ideal conditions for a wood rot fungus to germinate).
How To Treat Penetrating Damp
There are on average five potential points of water ingress that can effect your home – even in new build.
- Defective pointing
- Porous brickwork
- Cracks in render
- Defective rainwater disposal goods
In order to prevent the masonry becoming saturated, it’s really important all of these areas are kept in tip top condition and any issues are identified and dealt with immediately.