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The inside of your home is especially susceptible to damp since it is located below ground level. There are usually higher levels of moisture here, which is why you should ensure that you properly damp proof your basement to avoid any damage and expensive repairs. Your placement is often the last place that you will look for damp damage, and you might not think that it is important, but due to its location. You should do regular inspections to pick up on any damp damage as soon as possible.

Even though most people only use their basement as a storage facility, care should still be taken to avoid damp damage as this can easily spread to other areas of your house. If your basement area is especially large, you can do a regular inspection to look for any signs of damp. You can also start to damp proof your basement as soon as possible, especially to avoid future costly repairs. Damp can quickly spread so it's always recommended that you treat signs of damp as soon as possible. 

What is Damp?

Damp refers to the moisture that forms inside your home, and it usually causes visible damage on your walls, ceiling areas, or outdoor structures. Some houses can be more prone to damp and others, depending on its location as well as the building materials used. If left untreated, damp can call significant damage, especially to your structure, it can be very expensive to repair.

Your basement can be a very practical area in your home, depending on what you want to use the space for. But, regardless, you should ensure that the damp proof the basement as soon as possible, to avoid any damp damage and have it spread to the rest of your house. Damp can penetrate through walls and floors, making it impossible to stop after some time, so always find the root cause and repair it, to prevent damp from spreading and becoming more expensive to repair. 

It is important to know that the root cause of damp should be treated first, otherwise the damage will continue to surface. The root cause can be a number of things, such as broken pipes, leaks in your sewerage system, or condensation forming due to poor ventilation in your home. 

Types of Damp

There are different types of damp, including penetrating damp, rising damp, and condensation. You can have one or all of the damp types present at your home, depending on the cause of the damp. You should know how to look for each of these damp types, to successfully assess your property and fix the damp damage as soon as the evidence starts to appear. 

Penetrating damp happens when moisture penetrates through a wall, allowing you to see visible damage usually on the inside of the wall. You can also go through roofs or windows, and in severe cases, you will have to replace your wall or a big part of it. Penetrating damp can damage your plaster, your skirting boards, and your floor timbers. It can also lead to mould growth, which can have a musty smell.

Rising damp usually occurs on your outside walls, and it will appear from the ground upward, as moisture is absorbed from the ground into the wall. Rising damp should be stopped as soon as possible to avoid any additional damage to your walls. Condensation refers to the moisture that is trapped inside your home, especially when it comes in contact with cold surfaces. Condensation can usually happen in rooms such as your kitchen or bathroom.

Rising damp usually occurs on your outside walls, and it will appear from the ground upward, as moisture is absorbed from the ground into the wall. Rising damp should be stopped as soon as possible to avoid any additional damage to your walls. Condensation refers to the moisture that is trapped inside your home, especially when it comes in contact with cold surfaces. Condensation can usually happen in rooms such as your kitchen or bathroom.

How to Discover Damp

There are different signs of damp that you should be aware of. Damp is not always very visible at first, but it can cause rapid damage if left untreated. In some cases, it can be years before damp shows up, which is why you can work with a damp specialist to look for any signs of damp in your home. It is important to look for any discoloration of walls or plaster, as well as a musty smell inside your home.

Discovering damp early on will also help to prevent expensive repairs in future. Damp damage can have a significant effect on the value of your home, especially if you plan on selling it in the future. That's why you can always make use of a regular inspection, which can allow an experienced damp expert to look for any possible signs of damp condensation forming in your home. 

It is important not to overlook any signs of condensation, as this can also cause damage to the internal areas of your home. Areas like your kitchen and bathroom will generate additional heat, and when this get in contact with cold surfaces, condensation will form. This moisture can easily cause damage, especially as it spreads on your walls or ceiling areas. Proper ventilation is essential if you want to avoid condensation damage in any room of your house.

How to Prevent Damp

There are many ways in which you can prevent damp on the inside of your home, and you should consult with an expert to determine what the best solution will be for your specific home. Older structures are especially prone to damp damage, as they still used old building materials and methods. 

The best way to prevent damp is to completely damp proof your home, especially your basement area. If you properly damp proof your basement, you can always turn it into a Liverpool area of your home. There are various ways in which you can successfully damp proof your basement, and one of these is to install  a water proofing membrane from cement on the floor, walls and ceiling areas. This solution is mixed with water, before being applied by either spraying or trowelling. It then works by bonding with the masonry, which will result in a completely damp proof layer to protect your basement area. 

You can also make use of standard membranes, which is ideal for all the buildings. This method is usually used when the underlying substrate is not as reliable anymore, and can become unstable. The waterproof membrane can be attached with special plugs to the walls, to help avoid any damp damage. This is normally not necessary to be installed on the floor area.

One of the best ways to damp proof your basement area is to use a combination of techniques. For example, you can use a waterproof slurry to the walls and floors, while adding studded membranes to the ceiling. This is especially helpful as it is not as practical to apply the cement mixture on your ceiling.

When you choose tanking for your basement, make sure that you apply everything properly so that you can get an effective damp proof area. If you are very knowledgeable you can do this yourself, but it's always a good idea to use an expert for this, as multiple techniques can be used.  

We hope that this guide helps you understand why it is important to consider the various tanking methods available. If you would like an expert opinion on your home and if it requires any damp proofing services, please contact us.