What is water ingress

When it comes to buildings, the term water ingress is used to describe the action of water infiltrating a property. It is also a term that is commonly used to describe penetrating damp affecting a property.

Water ingress normally occurs due to some sort of defect in the building such as cracks in the render allowing water to penetrate the property and, unsurprisingly, can lead to a host of damp related problems if left to its own devices such as

• Damp plasterwork
• Increased heat loss
• Damp musty smells
• Frost damage to masonry
• Wet rot
• Dry rot
• Unsightly water damage on both the outside and inside of a property

Given the consequences of repeated water ingress, we would always recommend that if you identify problematic areas of water ingress in your property then you should contact a specialist damp contractor like ourselves to investigate the source of the water ingress, what potential damage has been caused and how we can prevent moisture ingress and penetrating damp causing any further damage.

There are a myriad of causes of water ingress. Listed below are four of the most common reasons however, this is not an exhaustive list:

• Damaged Walls - Deterioration over time can result in brickwork, rendering and mortar becoming porous and allowing water to ingress through the wall.
  
• Leaking or defective drainage or plumbing - Defective, blocked or cracked guttering and downpipes along with faulty internal plumbing are frequently the cause of water ingress and penetrating damp.
  
• Roof damage - Inspection of the roof may be necessary to identify missing or broken slates or tiles, while flashing around the chimney will have to be carefully investigated to determine whether it is faulty or not.
  
• Ingress into the basement - If you have a basement, or if the external ground level has been raised and you have inadequate water proofing, then you may find water ingressing into the building. If the water ingress is associated within the basement, we would suggest you review our basement waterproofing web pages.

The first step to dealing with water ingress in your property is to locate and identify the source of the water ingress. It is essential that you address and fix the source before any consideration can take place to restore your property.

Often the cause of water ingress is fix yourself with either some DIY treatment, or with the help of a tradesman. To help guide you a little better, we have outlined a list of steps you can take to help protect your property on our stop penetrating damp - DIY tips. Alternatively, you can always contact a professional damp specialist such as ourselves.

As one of the industry leaders, Peter Cox surveyors have unmatched experience and knowledge when it comes to identifying water ingress, diagnosing related damp problems and creating bespoke treatment plans to comprehensively solve your water ingress problems and related damp hazards. To find out more, visit our web pages on penetrating damp treatment and what you can expect from a penetrating damp survey.

At Peter Cox, we are proud of our 65 years of experience helping our customers prevent and treat water ingress issues. If you feel that you have a problem with water ingress that requires professional help then do not hesitate to contact the industry specialists or click the button below to book a survey.