fight against dampness and condensation in the house

Dampness and condensation

These phenomena can destroy the decorative finish of the building – to bring into disrepair flooring, damaged walls and plaster, woodwork to rot , so it is important to consider not only the symptoms but also to establish the reasons for their occurrence.

They can be very diverse : the rain drops to flow into the room through the roof and the walls , condensation , moisture , drawn by from the ground, or both simultaneously.

penetrating damp

It brings moist air from the street – often it occurs due to wear and defects of the building itself , but the dampness may appear on sturdy walls that get wet in the rain .

The first sign of moisture penetration occurs after heavy rain , and it can be found almost anywhere , in spite of the fact that this place is often located at some distance from the actual leak : mold often produced exactly where is the problem itself .

Factors penetrating dampness

Damp on the ceiling of the upper floor of the house may appear due to a broken or sagging slate tiles on the roof or damaged top , overlapping series of masonry walls .

Damp on the ceiling , wall- running divorce over the fireplace (on serving the fireplace ) , usually due to violation of waterproofing the junction of the elements of masonry or the occurrence of cracks in it at the seams.

When the damp spots are on the walls near the ceiling of the upper floor , look , if not clogged with dirt and broken gutters whether or pipes , as well as pay attention to the layer of fallen leaves on the roof.

When dampness dispersed across the wall , check to see whether a cracked masonry bricks and not too porous they surface.

Some damp stains on the wall are caused by damage to the jointing , as well as the formation of cracks in the plaster ( large patches of damp ), or because of a violation screed covering the anchorage lines in a hollow wall (small spots) .

Rotting woodwork and damp spots around window and door frames – the result of the formation of cracks between brick masonry openings and bars , and the lack of drain piping strips on windows and doors. Perhaps the drip edge ( groove or protrusion on the bottom surface of the window sills, window frames , etc. for water drainage ) thrashed the old paint or overgrown with moss .

rising damp

The reason is water soaked floor and walls dampness then typically covers the surface of a width of one meter above ground level. It is a constant challenge , even in dry weather.

The main areas that need to be monitored for increased moisture – waterproofing layer around the walls and waterproof film on the first floor. More old houses are often built without that, and without the other, can contribute to the widespread dissemination of dampness.

If the materials of which a house is built , are deteriorating or are damaged as a result of the shift of its structural elements , they can be insulated , but this can not be done with a damp spots appearing in places where water penetrates .

Waterproofing layer , the thickness of which is less than 150 mm, allows the water to pass over the surface thereof to seep through the wall and eventually cause occurrence of stains moisture level baseboards. If the waterproofing layer is in contact with the indoor or outdoor plasters , the moisture rises above the skirting board. Space filled with gravel , soil or plants, pressed against the wall, can also contribute to the penetration of moisture.

condensate

When warm moist air hits the cold surface – such as a wall , facing the icy winds of winter – or a ceramic wall tiles , the result of condensation .

Condensate attached bathrooms and kitchens , where there are bathing, washing and cooking . The fight with the condensate will be successful at the exact balance between good ventilation and adequate heating, but as a modern house warm all the time and is well protected against the ingress of moisture and wind, it is often the ventilation is inadequate. The key to success – effective ventilation , in which , however , does not go away precious heat .

If you are not sure what to transform the problem of high humidity – the condensate or moisture, – Put a piece of aluminum foil on a wet spot , hermetically seal it with tape around the edges and let it sit for 48 hours. The condensate will be in the form of water droplets on the surface of the foil , penetrating or rising damp will create beads of moisture under the foil. Test with aluminum foil to determine the nature of problem spots : dampness or condensation?

The fight against dampness and condensation

You should never ignore the dampness and condensation , as these natural phenomena do not disappear on their own and, of course , are a sign of more serious problems. Often a means to combat dampness and condensation can be simple and inexpensive, but in this case, you can just remove the consequences of these problems for a little while, and then require a real effort – when it comes to bringing the premises in order and eliminate the causes .

waterproofing layer

The first line of defense against moisture – Effective waterproofing layer in combination with waterproof sheeting , equipped with the support of a good system of pipes and gutters to drain rain water and water distribution system.

Ventilation – The key to preventing problems due to which there is condensation. The corresponding volume of the room air flow must be provided by the design of the building itself and hollow soffit fans ( holey ) bricks , while the exhaust fans will effectively remove warm and humid air , which is formed as a result of household chores like cooking , laundry , and water treatment .

Eliminating dampness

This problem can be eradicated only after will be installed and the cause of the occurrence of penetrating dampness. Means to combat rising damp, due to a lack of or damage to the waterproofing layer and waterproof film is not such a simple: the only way – to build a new waterproofing layer or make a major home renovation .

However, to build a waterproof layer in the form of a bridge fairly easily. If the reason is the high damp surface of the earth , dig between staying in its level patio or walkway and your house trench width of 15 centimeters, and then fill it with gravel : it will soon take rainwater.

When you suspect that the cause of dampness is debris in the cavity of the hollow walls or dirt on the surface of anchor connections , pull out a few bricks masonry walls , and give you access to remove debris or gouge the solution, stuck inside. After replacing the hollow ( holey ) bricks apply a layer of water-repellent material .

aftermath

To dry walls and floors can take up to one month for each 25 mm of thickness , while the old plaster layer if it is heavily contaminated with mineral salts from rising dampness will continue to absorb moisture from the air.

Replacing the plaster in the room as preventive maintenance is recommended in extreme cases, but it should be postponed as long as possible to give the wall to completely dry. Try to apply the tool to remove mold, which appears as a result of dampness or condensation , to the inner surfaces of the walls.

Ways to create a waterproof layer

There are many ways to structure a waterproofing layer – from the use of rolled and mastic materials that are embedded in the masonry , and to polymer solutions injected into the walls through the holes .

In theory, this work can be done independently , but combating rising damp is rarely easy. It is worth to seek advice from professionals. If your home mortgage is obtained , the lender may also require assurances that exclude the performance of these works on their own. The quality standards of these works is as important as the used system of mortgage lending , so you need to make a choice in favor of a company with a good reputation , which offers insured warranty.