Damp problems can negatively affect your home’s interior, your comfort and most importantly your health. To find the cause of the damp in your home and stop it in its tracks, follow these helpful tips, including getting a roof health check.
Identifying whether there is damp inside your home
If you are reading this, the chances are you have encountered patches of mould in your home on the walls or ceiling. You might have also noticed other signs of damp like peeling or discoloured wallpaper and heavy condensation on the inside walls and windows.
Although identifying that you have damp is important, to properly combat it you need to get to the root cause.
Causes of damp from inside the house
To get to the bottom of why your home has damp problems, you may not even have to step outside.
One factor which causes damp inside the home is not having proper ventilation systems in place such as extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens, where condensation can easily build up.
Another cause of damp could be a lack of insulation. Alternatively, damp problems can occur in your home if it does have insulation but it has not been installed properly. You are likely to need professional assistance to fix and even potentially identify these issues in the first place.
Some other internal causes of damp in the home may come from leaking dishwashers and washing machines. It is also worth checking for leaks in your home’s pipework and your windows too.
How structural issues with your home can cause damp
Although there are many concerning causes of damp which can originate inside the home, dampness caused by structural issues needs addressing with even more urgency. This is because the damp can compromise the structural integrity of your home while also causing discomfort and inconvenience.
So, how can you investigate if structural defects are the cause of your damp problems? The answer is by ensuring your walls and roof are properly examined.
Brickwork Issues
The first damp-causing brickwork defect to look out for is if your home is built with overly porous bricks. Bricks made from an overly porous material will absorb water which permeates deeply into the brickwork and creates excessive moisture inside the home. To fix the problem, you should speak to a professional builder about your options.
Even if the bricks your home uses are non-porous, your walls could still be damp if your brickwork is damaged. In these instances, having brickwork repaired and repointed is a must to prevent water getting into the home.
Roofing issues
Many people overlook the importance of keeping their roof in top condition. However, your roof is usually your first line of defence against damp issues.
If you think about it, if any part of your roof is leaking, excess water can enter into your home and quickly cause a damp problem. This kind of damp is known as penetrating damp. According to Richardson & Starling, there are many roof defects which can cause damp problems in the home. These include missing or loose tiles along with issues with the flashing and pointing.
At ground level, and to the untrained eye, it proves difficult to identify some of these problems early on enough.
This is why you need to regularly get your roof checked by a professional roofer. It is recommended that you get your roof checked every 6 months as there are seasonal roofing issues that can be caused by both hot and cold temperatures. The risk of roof damage is even higher when storms are on the horizon too.
If you can get a free, no obligation roof health check from a local roofing firm it’s a no brainer. There are many benefits of using a professional roofer to check your roof. They will be able to safely examine your roof to identify any damage and leaks that need repairing. Roofers can also suggest preventive measures if they think your roof may be susceptible to leaking in the near future.
Top quality roofers are also qualified to check and repair gutters. These are another part of your home that should be investigated if you want to avoid damp issues in your home.
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