Different Types of Damp
There are 3 main types of damp: penetrating damp, rising damp and condensation.
- Penetrating Damp
Penetrating damp moves horizontally. It will transfer from outside into your walls and is usually caused by structural problems within the building. This includes wall cracks, faulty guttering, damaged roofs or leaking pipes. Aging bricks are also prone to getting damp, due to their porous structure.
This type of damp is reasonably easy to identify. Usually it causes a dark watermark in a place separate to your doors or windows. Depending on the severity of the damp, there might also be mould or water drops on the surface of your walls.
- Rising Damp
Rising damp is more common in older buildings and is caused by water travelling up from the ground.
Damp rises through pores in the masonry and the soluble salts in the water draw moisture from the outside. This can cause stains, ruined wallpaper and plastering, a musty smell and a permanent damp feeling on the wall’s surface.
- Condensation
Condensation damp is the most common, caused by water vapour in the air. If the water encounters a cold wall where there’s little ventilation, it’s likely to condense. This will eventually cause mould.
Spotting condensation is easy. Simply search for black mould, peeled wallpaper or dripping windows. Mould and mildew may also start appearing on clothes or furniture.
If you suspect you have damp or mould present in your building, it’s important that you call our damp specialists sooner rather than later. The smaller the issue, the easier and quicker it is to fix.