WHAT IF YOU HAVE DAMP PROBLEMS IN YOUR HOUSE?

Rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation are the three most common types of damp that can affect your home. But each needs to be treated in different ways, and the costs can vary dramatically, so it’s important to know what type of damp is affecting your home before you try to get it fixed.

If you have had Cavity Wall Insulation fitted, then that could be a whole bigger issue.

Our image gallery below will help you to identify the type of damp or mould, and you can scroll down to find out what could be causing it. Once you’ve done this, you can then find out how to prevent it.

Living in a property with mould can be bad for your health, so it’s important to get it sorted as soon as possible.  The worse the situation gets, the more it’s likely to cost to remove and repair any damage.

What is a damp-proof course?

The walls of houses generally have a barrier in them to stop rising damp from getting into walls. This is often a horizontal plastic or bitumen felt strip in the wall, 15cm above the ground level. Building regulations came into force in 1875, specifying that these had to be built into houses, so older houses may not have one.

What is a damp-proof membrane?

A damp-proof membrane (DPM) is a membrane material applied to prevent moisture transmission. A common example is polyethylene sheeting laid under a concrete slab to prevent the concrete from gaining moisture through capillary action. A DPM may be used for the DPC.

What is a chemical damp proof course?

A chemical damp course is installed by drilling holes at least 15 centimetres above the ground level fairly close together and feeding in a chemical compound that repels damp. Most houses that have had this done, you will be able to see the drill holes along the building on all exposed sides.

A damp proof course (DPC) is a key weapon in the fight against damp homes. Damp is one of the most common property problems encountered in British homes and can cause significant problems.

Often it is damage to the appearance of a property that people notice first, but it is the structure of the property where the real problems occur. Cracks to masonry, crumbling plaster and rotting timbers are all common consequence of damp, not to mention the damp inside the home causing mould and damage to furnishings, and even more worrying to your health.

The damp proof course is, most commonly, a layer of damp proofing material or slate laid between the bricks near to ground level of the property when the property is being built. If installed correctly it should stop damp rising from the ground into the walls of the property. There’s no real figures available that say how long this style of damp course actually lasts. Properties that were built in the 1930s – 1960’s would mean this type of damp proof course is well over 50 years old.

DPC’s also work in conjunction with cavity walls by taking moisture that enters the cavity and channelling it back out of the property. If a damp proof course fails or is absent they are often replaced by a chemical damp proof course.

A chemical damp proof course can usually be recognised by the small drill holes that it leaves behind when the perimeter of the building is drilled for the chemical damp course to be sprayed into these holes. The above graphic is a perfect example of where the chemical damp course has been done directly above where the original damp proof membrane would have been.

A missing damp proof course, or one that has been compromised by rendering over it, meaning the wall below the damp proof has been bridged with the wall above the damp proof, is one of the main reasons for failed cavity wall insulation. In these instances, damp will not be able to exit the cavity, leading to damp insulation material which can then affect the internal wall.

A DPC is just one form of damp proofing, other popular methods include:

• Damp-proof membrane (DPM) is a material such as polyethylene applied to prevent moisture moving through the property.

• Integral damp proofing can occur in the construction stage by adding materials to the concrete mix which repel moisture.

• Waterproofing the exterior of the building to offer additional resistance against rain.
• Pressure grouting cracks and joints in masonry to resist the ingress of water.

Many people react to damp issues by sealing their properties, but it is often the opposite approach, allowing your home to breathe, which is the right approach.

If your home cavities have been insulated with rock wool and are exposed to damp, the rock wool will sook up a considerable amount of water and retain it. QUICK VIDEO

This will make the wall cold and damp, drawing heat from the inside of the home to the outside, having the opposite required effect for what it was installed for, and can allow moisture to travel inwards and cause damp and mould in your home.

Choosing cavity wall insulation

In many properties, cavity wall insulation can help save energy and cut fuel bills. But what should you consider before making the decision to have it installed in your home? And what should you expect from a reputable installer?

Things to look out for throughout the cavity wall insulation process, to help you spot potential problems early.

Wall Cavity Claims have a panel of specialist solicitors to represent clients on a No Win No Fee service. They instruct a qualified surveyor to visit your property and if the surveyors report highlights faults which can be attributed to the installer, installation or materials, or any other factor, your file can be referred to a panel solicitor with qualified evidence.

Wall Cavity Claims currently covers the whole of the North West, and will be rolling the service out nationally in the coming weeks.

Choosing cavity wall insulation

In many properties, cavity wall insulation can help save energy and cut fuel bills. But what should you consider before making the decision to have it installed in your home? And what should you expect from a reputable installer?

Things to look out for throughout the cavity wall insulation process, to help you spot potential problems early.

Wall Cavity Claims have a panel of specialist solicitors to represent clients on a No Win No Fee service. They instruct a qualified surveyor to visit your property and if the surveyors report highlights faults which can be attributed to the installer, installation or materials, or any other factor, your file can be referred to a panel solicitor with qualified evidence.

Wall Cavity Claims currently covers the whole of the North West, and will be rolling the service out nationally in the coming weeks.

If your house was built after the 1920s, it is likely to have cavity walls. Older houses are more likely to have solid walls. If your home was built in the last 10 years, it was probably built with insulation installed at the time.

If you can see the brickwork on the outside of the house, look at the pattern of the bricks. If your home has cavity walls, the bricks will usually have a regular pattern like this:

If your home has solid walls, the bricks will have an alternating pattern like this:

If the brickwork has been covered by render, you can also tell by measuring the width of the wall.  Examine a window or door on one of your external walls. If a brick wall is more than 3000mm thick, (from the outer wall to inner wall) then it probably has a cavity; a narrower wall is probably solid. Stone walls may be thicker still but are usually solid.
If your house is a steel-frame or timber-framed building, or is made from pre-fabricated concrete, different rules apply for insulation and this should be surveyed by a specialist before and if any insulation is fitted.

A lot of contractors should have fitted special air vents as below, which can be a good sign that you have cavity wall insulation fitted and to a good standard of quality work. Many houses will find their old air vents have merely been blocked up with silicone to stop the cavity insulation falling out, which can be a worrying start if you’re seeking a survey or suffering damp.

The good news is that most cavity wall insulation firms had to register the installation with CIGA – Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency, which then offered a 25-year guarantee for the insulation, either themselves or through the installers insurance.
The bad news is that it can cost a considerable amount of time, money and work to rectify a bad installation.

Wall Cavity Claims is a legal services company who offer a free qualified survey to assess your cavity wall insulation and ensure it was installed correctly, and if not, we have access to specialist panel solicitors who work  No Win No Fee. 

If your house was built after the 1920s, it is likely to have cavity walls. Older houses are more likely to have solid walls. If your home was built in the last 10 years, it was probably built with insulation installed at the time.

If you can see the brickwork on the outside of the house, look at the pattern of the bricks. If your home has cavity walls, the bricks will usually have a regular pattern like this:

If your home has solid walls, the bricks will have an alternating pattern like this:

If the brickwork has been covered by render, you can also tell by measuring the width of the wall.  Examine a window or door on one of your external walls. If a brick wall is more than 3000mm thick, (from the outer wall to inner wall) then it probably has a cavity; a narrower wall is probably solid. Stone walls may be thicker still but are usually solid.

If your house is a steel-frame or timber-framed building, or is made from pre-fabricated concrete, different rules apply for insulation and this should be surveyed by a specialist before and if any insulation is fitted.

Modern technology tells us that up to 40% of our home energy heat can be lost through a cavity wall if not insulated. A Government backed scheme aimed to help fill these cavities with insulation and keep our homes warmer while reducing the amount of energy needed to warm our homes, and have a better impact on energy saving.

The product itself is really good, if the property is suitable and the installer has done proper pre-checks and installation, the difference can be outstanding. Millions of homes had the cavity wall insulation installed and it is estimated up to 3 million homes may be at risk of serious damp issues or even structural issues and health risks where the installation was not carried out to the agreed specifications.

If a cavity is not filled 100% compact, void areas can gather moisture and lead to damp. Where a cavity is not fully clean and cleared of debris, this can bridge the gap and again introduce moisture and cause damp. The lack of ‘brushing off’ a cavity that joins a neighbour’s property means insulation may seep out into the next door cavity and lead to voids in your walls, or cross contaminate if different materials are used. An active damp course should be in place to keep the damp to ground level and not reach the cavity wall insulation as this can soak and travel up the walls causing damp. There are many other reasons why incorrect installation can cause damp and other problems.

Those who installed the cavity wall insulation should have carried out a pre-survey assessment to ensure the property itself was suitable for cavity wall insulation and subsequently assessed that there were no hazards present that could cause failure and problems of the cavity wall insulation later down the line.

The good news is that most cavity wall insulation firms had to register the installation with CIGA – Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency, which then offered a 25-year guarantee for the insulation.

The bad news is that it can cost a considerable amount of time, money and work to rectify a bad installation.
Wall Cavity Claims is a legal services company who offer a free survey to assess your cavity wall insulation and ensure it was installed correctly, and if not, we have access to specialist panel solicitors who work  No Win No Fee.