Damp Wall Treatment

Damp and Mould Solutions work are experts at discovering and remediating damp walls in properties both residential and commercial. Walls are one of the easiest recognisable places for damp to be discovered due to the location being often unobstructed.

Damage to walls caused by water and moisture leaves visual signs of damage that prompt the need for Damp wall treatment. Unfortunately, due to the nature of how moisture works through walls, it can take some time before people become aware. In the time it takes for moisture to make its way to wallpaper or paint, it may have already caused significant structural damage.

Identifying a Damp Wall

Our fully trained damp technicians are the first port of call to help diagnose your damp wall problems. There are numerous methods to effectively identify signs of dampness in walls. However they change dependant on the type of damp that is affecting the walls.

Identify Condensation on walls: Warm moisture in the air that is rapidly cooled on a colder surface leaves behind liquid droplets. This is common in kitchens and bathrooms where the air moisture can rapidly rise without the necessary ventilation to escape. Identifying Cracks in walls that allow cold air to flow into the property can indicate potential condensation.

Identify Rising damp on walls: Rising damp is a common misdiagnosed damp problem that is characterised primarily by visible defects to both interior and external walls. Water stains on internal and external walls can rise almost uniformly to create a horizontal line called a tide mark. The walls may have a yellow discoloration with paint or wallpaper bubbles.

Identifying Penetrating damp on walls: This usually occurs on the exterior of a property and can lead to severe structural damage when left untreated. Similarly with rising damp, there will be visual signs of discoloration in water marks in brickwork with spalling and cracks appearing. Additionally, there may be visible mould growth and signs of deterioration. 

Damp Wall Causes

Damp and Mould Solutions’ specialists will conduct a comprehensive damp survey that will identify the type of damp affecting your property. The primary concern of a damp survey is to identify the cause of any damp damage and locate the source of water and the path of infiltration.

Our specialists have surveyed hundreds of properties in the London boroughs and continue to discover different causes of Damp walls. Some of the most common we find are:

Causes condensation on internal walls: Poor ventilation is a common issue in houses, apartments, and commercial properties across London. Poor ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens prevents warm moisture from escaping. Instead, moisture cools against cooler surfaces leaving behind liquid droplets on walls causing Wall Damp.

Causes rising damp on internal walls: Changes to the surrounding environment can cause groundwater to rise. As this happens it is absorbed through the ground and building materials like brickwork and concrete. Porous materials allow water to be absorbed through to vertical structures causing damp walls

Causes penetrating damp on internal walls: Damp Walls can also caused by Penetrating Damp often most common at times of increased rainfall. Where pipes and drains intended to carry water away are blocked or overused, increased water can affect exterior walls. Blocked or cracked downpipes can spread water on exterior walls leading to wall damp.

How to Treat Damp Walls

Damp wall treatment methods differ depending on the type of damp. As with all types of damp, locating the source comes first. At Damp and Mould Solutions, our Damp Survey will detail our recommended remediation steps.

In the case of Damp Wall remediation, our damp specialist provides damp survey reports that cover the interior and exterior walls.

We ensure that our remediation methods are always the right solutions for the type of wall, and the type of damp damage affecting it.

Treat Penetrating damp: The most likely cause of damp that will affect exterior walls is Penetrating Damp. Where the brickwork and masonry have been damaged and deteriorated likely with cracks, these need to be repaired. A suitable water-repellant render can be applied to protect against rainfall. Gutters and pipes need to be cleared of all blockages and checked for leaks, and the heating of the property needs to be assessed. Ineffective heating and cold exterior walls can lead to further damp wall issues. 

Treat Rising damp: Occurring both on interior and exterior walls, rising damp is a common cause of wall damp in properties across London. Our Damp proofing specialist upon detection of Wall Damp caused by Rising Damp will look to apply a Damp Proof Course treatment to the wall. This is done by injecting the DPC solution into holes following the mortar line. A Damp Proofing membrane can be the barrier installed beneath the concrete floor to prevent moisture from rising up.

Treat Condensation: Another cause of Internal wall dampness is Condensation which can be more server during winter months. Due to the fact this is caused by changes to air temperature, and warm air not escaping, ventilation is the primary resolution. Fans will be used to clear all moisture from the room. Mould removal and treatment solutions will be applied to the affected walls and covered with damp sealant to protect the paintwork that follows.