Damp & mould assessments
Water ingress
During large projects, tasked with perhaps repairing something that has obviously been damaged through water. My question is always what were the causes of the damp and mould? The reason behind the failed timber window sill?
In some circumstances the reason may be straight forward and easy to identify but in other cases there can be ‘red herrings’, or perhaps multiple reasons.
Water ingress is when water enters a building from the outside. It can also be called penetrating damp. Signs of water ingress may include some of the following issues
- Damp patches on walls and floors
- Mould growth
- Peeling paint & plaster
- Musty smell
- Dark patches on brickwork
- Blown brick faces
- Missing pointing
Causes of damp and mould
Extreme weather conditions. Poor building construction. Condensation. Plumbing issues. Surrounding land and drainage. Ill fitting seals around windows and doors etc
The effects of water ingress is damage to the walls, Fungal decay, health problems from damp and mould, not to mention expensive repairs.
cover it up, it will go away!
identifying the problem
Finding the root cause and identifying the problem is absolutely key. With this information in place. Both short term and permanent solutions can be put in place to resolve the issue.
air flow?
Condensation occurs when moist air comes into contact with a cold surface
Warm air and cold surfaces: when warm, moist air touches a cold surface, like a window or wall, the water vapor in the air turns into liquid droplets
restricted air flow
Condensation can occur in places, like behind furniture
opening windows to let fresh air in and remove moist air. Ventilation systems can work as can dehumidifiers.
what is dry rot what is & wet rot
Dry rot and wet rot are both types of fungi. The big difference between the two is the amount of moisture needed for the fungi to grow!
The causes of damp and mould therefore can be varied. It is important not to miss out something basic, or over complicate the matter. As many owners of period houses will know, some houses simply by the scale of the property, combined with single glaze windows might find some months of the year, there is condensation, or the dew point has formed on the windows.
Perhaps if the windows rarely get opened combined with a large piece of furniture against a cold wall. One might expect signs of mould behind the furniture. In this instance, I would not recommend ripping everything off the wall and replastering in Lime, but to increase the airflow?
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