Wet Walls, Penetrating Damp
Help! My wall is leaking… this is a phrase we have been hearing since December from panicking homeowners faced with wet walls from penetrating damp.
With Britain facing yet more storms and frequent downpours are you worryingly become noted of the lack of general maintenance to the outside of your property? With Penetrating Damp causing puddles of water inside your house.
We have been exceptionally busy with calls and emails asking for advice and solutions to prevent Penetrating Damp to period properties.
Period properties are suffering badly with this wet weather being faced with driving rain driven by gale force winds the porous brickwork is acting like a sponge absorbing the moisture and with no cavity the moisture has nowhere to go other than through the bricks and mortar into the plaster until eventually the plaster can hold no more water.
This phenomenon is become ever increasingly more severe and shouldn’t be ignored, Penetrating Damp can pose severe risks to a person’s health as well as structural issues and if left untreated can be a costly affair.
Newman’s can carry out an external Structure Only Survey for you free of charge in most instances to give advice and a solution as well as specify any structural works which may be required. General maintenance of your property will prevent your building suffering from Penetrating Damp.
The best place to start with Penetrating Damp is of course on the outside, Prevention is better than Cure. You should check the condition of your pointing to ensure it is in good condition with no missing mortar or loose sections, If there is ensure the pointing is replaced. This is a perfect starting place for damp to enter into the wall.
Check the condition of the face of the bricks, if some are spalled or the faces look as though they have worn away it is important they are repaired or replaced as the brickwork behind the brick face is even more porous than the brick face.
Newman’s carry out vast amounts of re-pointing from patch repairs the complete elevations including brick repairs and replacement to ensure water tightness and restore the aesthetics to the property.
Once with have repointed and repaired the external wall we then apply Twistfix’s Dryseal silane water repellent façade protection cream to the wall. Its unique system prevents capillary suction by the brickwork and provides an invisible permanent barrier protecting against Penetrating Damp ensuring a lasting repair is achieved. The cream also enhances the facades resistance to freeze thaw damage increasing the lifespan of the masonry. We wouldn’t repoint a wall without it!.
