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The most important step in penetrating damp treatment is establishing and rectifying the source of moisture ingress.
When the source of penetrating damp comes from structural issues like roof damage, defective guttering or cracked render you will need to repair these issues to prevent the water ingress at the source.
However, it may be that penetrating damp is occurring due to masonry or brickwork being too absorbent. Over time, old bricks become worn and more porous. In this case a masonry protection cream which is a breathable water-repellent barrier can be used to coat the bricks.
If you want to speak to an expert right now call Peter Cox today or book a survey online by clicking the button below.
A damp survey should be carried out as soon as signs of penetrating damp have been discovered. A damp survey will give you a complete diagnosis of the damp issue and allow the correct repairs to begin. When water ingress problems are left without adequate treatment they will quickly worsen and potentially lead to serious damage like crumbling masonry or rot in structural timber.
Water ingress is often caused by property damage or poor maintenance that leads to rainwater entering the property. When this is the case, the water ingress can only be fixed by repairing the problem.
Common repairs that will fix water ingress include:
Drying out any affected areas can commence once the root cause of water ingress is identified and repaired. After this any areas affected can be replastered and rotten timber can be replaced.
Technically no, bricks are made from absorbent material and can never be truly waterproof, however you can use masonry protection cream to help brickwork repel wind driven rain and prevent water ingress. This is usually what people are talking about when they discuss “brick waterproofing”.
Masonry protection cream is also fairly straightforward to apply. Using a brush or roller, you can apply it straight to the external wall and it only requires a single coat.
That said, it is important to properly prepare the wall prior to application. Any structural defects such as cracks in render or damaged bricks must be repaired first along with the removal of any residual debris or vegetation. The cream will also need to dry, so it is advised to apply on a day where it is not due to rain and the temperature is moderate.
Treating bricks with a breathable masonry protection cream is the best way to protect your property from penetrating damp when property maintenance is not the root cause.
Masonry Protection Cream provides protection from rain penetration by lining the pores of the masonry to form a water-repellent silicone matrix. It works by lining the pores rather than blocking them.
A property built with a non-porous airtight surface would not be able to adapt to changes in temperature and humidity levels. Allowing brick walls to breathe prevents problems like moisture build up inside the cavity wall and spalling or frost damage on the external wall.
This is why any masonry protection cream applied to your property needs to repel water but not completely block the pores.
The thermal brick and masonry protection cream our technicians are equipped with is DryWall Thermotek.
DryWall Thermotek waterproofing solution has been tested to EN ISO 15148:2002 (E), demonstrating its effectiveness on a variety of substrates including concrete, mortar, brick and sandstone. It penetrates up to 12mm which is much deeper than traditional liquid applied masonry water repellents.
As well as increasing life expectancy this also improves DryWall Thermotek’s crack-bridging ability, as it is able to provide water-repellency beyond the depth of small cracks. It is also resistant to UV light degradation meaning it can last many years before reapplication is required.
DryWall Thermotek also allows masonry to breathe by lining the pores without blocking them.
We have such confidence in Drywall Thermotek that we will guarantee the treatment for 10 years after application.
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Using a masonry protection cream will not only prevent penetrating damp but also provide a thermal barrier helping to prevent heat from escaping your property.
When external walls get wet their thermal resistance lowers and valuable heat escapes. This means protecting external walls from penetrating damp problems can also help your home to reduce energy bills.
The DryWall Thermotek masonry protection cream used by our team is scientifically proven to reduce heat loss in single skin masonry and can provide an energy bill saving of up to 29%.
It also aids the performance of cavity wall insulation by protecting it from moisture.
Because so many different property problems can lead to penetrating damp, it is best to leave it in the hands of qualified and trained professionals.
If you would like to find out more about our penetrating damp treatments our expert team is here to help. Simply give us a call today or click the button below to book a survey online.
*Survey enquiries for your local branch will be directed to our dedicated central survey control teams across the UK. Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free unless you are calling from a business phone, in which case the rate will be set by your provider.