Top 5 Causes of Damp in London Homes and Prevention Strategies

If you are a property owner in the UK, you already know about building maintenance and one of the main issues is damp, which comes in several forms, namely rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation.

In this short blog, we present the top 5 causes of damp in London properties, along with some prevention strategies.

1. Leaking roof – All it takes is a couple of roof tiles to be lifted by strong winds and you have the potential for serious damage. If water enters the internal roof structure, there will be damage to rafters and joists, therefore regular roof inspections are recommended. It is not possible to see all of a roof from ground level, hence the need for regular inspections. In the event the roofing contractor finds the source of a leak, he would fix it there and then. We recommend a roof inspection on a yearly basis, which should ensure early detection of issues.
2. Exterior wall damage – Brickwork, masonry and concrete can fall prey to driving rain and gale force winds; should exterior brickwork/mortar be compromised, moisture will cause serious damage. If you are worried that your home has damp issues, call us at London Damp Specialists on 020 8528 3864 or fill in our online form and order a comprehensive damp survey in London.
3. Rising damp – Every UK property should have a damp proof course (DPC) inserted just above ground level, which prevents damp from rising up the walls and causing a lot of damage. In the event the DPC is damaged or compromised, this allows moisture to climb the structure and when it reaches timber window frames, decay will be the result. DPC is installed as a matter of course when building homes in London and it can be compromised over the years. Early detection is crucial and with regular damp surveys, you can keep rising damp at bay with our rising damp treatment.
4. Condensation – Condensation occurs when two different temperatures collide, typically condensation forms on single pane windows, while it can also form on walls and other materials. Many UK homeowners replace their timber frame windows with aluminium or uPVC double glazed units, as this eliminates condensation. If you have a high level of condensation, contact London Damp Specialists and we can send a technician to assess the situation. Our condensation solutions come with a full 30-year guarantee.
5. Blocked guttering – What happens when guttering is blocked? A heavy bout of rain would quickly send cascades of water running down the exterior walls and that is a recipe for disaster. This is why you should regularly check the guttering on your roof, especially if there are overhanging trees, as wet leaves and small twigs can easily gather and cause a blockage. A handful of leaves could cause 1000s of pounds worth of damage, imagine that!

Rising and penetrating damp are very real threats to UK properties and if you would like to book a damp survey with London Damp Specialists, call us on 020 8528 3864 or fill out the online form on this website.