Many times, home and business owners smell the dampness before they see it. The problem is that once it starts showing on the walls and floors, it has become a larger problem that can be unhealthy and costly. If you’ve seen rising damp in your home or business, you must work quickly to prevent more structural damage and prevent illness. If you start to notice a musty smell or a rise in asthma and allergy problems, you may already have rising damp and should look to treating it properly.
Hidden Causes
Most people believe that rising damp comes from the walls, but in almost 90 percent of cases, the original moisture comes from the ground. When moisture is allowed to sit underneath the home and doesn’t have a way to evaporate, rising damp occurs.
This, in turn, can lead to pest infestations, such as cockroaches and termites, but can also lead to mould, which is almost harmless until it comes into contact with water.
To prevent this problem in the future, consider using specialist primers and paints in bathrooms and kitchens. These products are designed to combat mould and dampness.
Solutions
There are three options for treating rising damp that you’ve probably heard of before and one that you haven’t. Underfloor ventilation uses a circulation pump to remove moisture-ridden air from underneath the home and replace it with dry air. DPC can also be inserted close to the floor level and along the walls. It’s made of black polyethylene sheeting and can prevent moisture from rising into the walls. However, it is costly.
One option from Aquapol Australia is to use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic devices to remove the moisture from the air. It is usually installed in a lower part of the building, and the water will slowly descend through the walls to the lowest area, usually a basement. The wall then dries out and will stay dry.
