Penetrating damp

Penetrating damp (also known as water ingress) is the result of water infiltration from the outside of a property to the inside. It can be caused from sources such as rain penetration to faulty rainwater goods at the property and can also include damp from high ground levels. It is however an issue that can affect all buildings with absorbent walls such as solid brick or stone walls.

Penetrating damp can be damaging to a property even if it does not penetrate all the way through a wall. It can lead to other damp issues such as:
 

• Wet rot or dry rot issues
• Black mould growth due to increased dampness and humidity levels
• Damp plasterwork
• Heat loss
• Damp musty smells
• Frost damage to masonry
• Unsightly water damage on both the outside and inside of the property
• Damp wall insulation

While buildings can suffer from penetrating damp, from our experience, it is typically older buildings that suffer the most and require penetrating damp treatment. The problem is also increasingly common in buildings where cavity wall insulation has been poorly installed or used in walls that are not suitable for cavity wall insulation.

If you are concerned that your property may be affected by penetrating damp then get in touch with our penetrating damp specialist team to determine the best course of action to prevent any further damage. Simply call us on 0800 633 5712 or click to contact us online.

Penetrating damp is usually the result of water ingress through a fault in the building. Some of the most common building defects that can result in penetrating damp include:

• Leaking gutters/downpipes
• Ageing porous brickwork
• Defective pointing
• Inadequate drip grooves under window sills
• Defective seals around doors and windows

Buildings that contain cavity wall insulation are also susceptible to penetrating damp from absorbent masonry and also from any cracks or fractures in the external wall that allow water penetration. Once the water is trapped inside, the cavity wall insulation becomes wet insulation and acts as a bridge between the outside wall and inside wall resulting in the symptoms of penetrating damp appearing in the property.

The common signs and symptoms of penetrating damp include:

• Damp patches on walls or ceilings, which may darken when it rains 
• Damp staining on external walls
• Wet and crumbly plaster
• Signs of spores or black mould that are isolated to one area
• Drips and puddles

If you spot any or all of the above signs in your property then it suggests you either have a penetrating damp problem or your property is being affected by another type of damp.

The key to treating penetrating damp is to firstly identify and rectify the source of water ingress into the property.  Once the source of the moisture has been rectified, we can then look to fixing the damage caused by the penetrating damp that may include issues such as wet or dry rot.

To learn more about treating penetrating damp, visit our penetrating damp treatment web page.  Alternatively, if its the case you just want a professional to take a look and suggest some action, why not visit our penetrating damp survey page.