If you think that damp is a harmless problem many homeowners face, you couldn’t be more wrong. Damp poses serious health risks for your family, it’s unsightly and can cause extensive damage to the structure of your home.
Common signs of damp include flaking paint, cracked plaster and salt stains on your walls.
How to Treat Rising Damp
Rising damp is caused by moisture being absorbed into the walls of your home. This is due to the ground being naturally moist and the bricks porous, making them extremely absorbent. If damp proofing was neglected during construction or not done properly, you’ll more than likely experience issues with rising damp. Continuous moisture will be drawn into the bricks until it reaches a level of about one metre above the ground.
Treatment consists of removing the plaster from the wall completely. It then needs to be replastered with special damp proofing plaster material to prevent moisture from causing more damage. The process can be daunting which is why it’s a job better left for damp proofing specialists like Hydrostop SA in Pretoria.
Tips on How to Prevent Damp in Your Home
- Make sure all gaps between the wall and bath or shower has been sealed.
- Fit your home with gutters to prevent rainwater from running down walls and causing damage to plaster and ensure the water discharge points away from the walls.
- Clear gutters on a regular basis to prevent overflowing of rainwater into your home.
- Sprinkler systems should spray away from your walls.
- Ensure gaps between window frames and mortar is sealed with a flexible sealant.
If you have signs of damp in your home, get in touch with professionals like Hydrostop SA. We are able to evaluate the problem and we offer treatment solutions to permanently solve the problem. Get in touch for a free damp proofing Pretoria quote today.