The Family Home: Signs of Damp You Should Never Ignore

When people talk about their homes, one of
the most common conversation topics is damp. Some people often choose to ignore the problem completely, but living in
a house with mould can be incredibly bad for your health and young children are
especially at risk of health problems.

What’s more, the worse the situation gets,
the more it’s going to cost you to remove and repair any damage so it’s better
to face up to the problem sooner rather than later! Skirting boards can be
replaced quite easily, skirtingsrus who
have a big skirting boards range would be able to provide you with some
inspiration. Wallpaper may be a little trickier – but if you take the necessary
steps to stop damp from taking hold, then hopefully, repairing the damage
shouldn’t be too costly.

The
types of damp

The three most common types of damp that
can affect your home include rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation.

Rising damp is caused by ground water
moving up through a wall or floor. It’s usually stopped from causing damage by
a barrier called damp-proof membranes.

Penetrating damp is caused by water leaking
through the walls. It may expand across your walls or ceiling but will always
do so horizontally rather than by travelling up walls. This is usually caused
by structural problems such as faulty guttering or roofing, cracks in the walls
or internal leaks.

Condensation is the most common type of
damp and it’s caused by moist air condensing on walls. Typically, it occurs in
rooms where there is a lot of moisture such as in kitchens and bathrooms and
it’s often a winter problem because at this time of year, walls are much colder
than the air outside.

So,
what are the tell-tale signs?

 Some of the more obvious signs
of damp include:

When you hang your clothes out after a
wash, they won’t dry properly

There’s a constant musty smell in your
house

Your breathing doesn’t feel right. It can
even make asthma symptoms worse.

You may see visible damp patches that come
and go depending on the weather conditions

Water droplets on windows or walls

Mould starts to appear

Signs of rising damp include damage to
skirting boards or plaster as well as peeling paint and wallpaper – often with
wet patches. You may also notice tide marks along your wall

A general chilly or damp feeling in the
house

Damp floor tiles

Algae and mould on external walls

How
can I prevent it?

Poor ventilation exacerbates the situation
so make sure your house (especially the bathroom) is well ventilated. Opening
windows and having an extractor fan can be a big help.

Rather than setting your heating to turn on
and off at particular intervals throughout the day, it’s better to have it on
constantly at a lower heat. Heating that comes on and off allows warm, damp air
to condense.

Use a damp-proof membrane. Impervious to
water and laid under concrete floor, this can help to effectively seal and
protect your house from ground water.