One of the last things you want in your home is dampness. Not only does it make your entire home seem cold, it can also cause a lot of damage, both to your home and to your health. This is why homeowners opt for damp proofing. This is a term that basically means to use treatments that will keep dampness from getting inside your home. Without the help of damp proofers, you could end up with a lot of problems with your home, such as decay, that can eventually lead to structural damage. Read on to learn more about damp proofing.
How to Tell if You have a Dampness Problem
You will be able to tell if you do have a problem with dampness because there will be signs. One really good sign is when you notice wallpaper and paint are peeling and skirting boards/floor boards are decaying or stained. At this point, installing a damp proof course can help, but you really should have a professional survey done so you will know the extent of the damage and what you need to do to correct the problem.
Damp Proof Course
As previously mentioned, dampness can cause a lot of damage to your home. Some of these problems include dry rot, wet rot and rising damp. Over time, this can damage the building itself, so it is important that you take steps to keep this from happening. The first step is to look and identify signs that there is dampness. Then, you can work on putting in damp proofers that will prevent the dampness from causing any damage. Most new homes already have some damp proofing, in the form of damp proof course that is installed right in the walls, just above the level of the ground.
This damp proofing is usually located about 15 centimetres above ground level, and various materials are used. Some of these materials include plastic membrane, bitumen sheet and slate, but this isn't always enough. In fact, over time, the damp proof course can crack because of deterioration, and the dampness will appear. Bricks are also sometimes used as damp course inside walls, but they will also deteriorate over time and you will still end up with dampness issues. If you do not take care of this problem as soon as possible, you could end up with irreversible structural damage to your home, and you will be spending thousands of dollars on renovations.
Damp Proof Membrane
While damp proof membrane is often used to create damp course for inside walls, it is actually something completely separate. Basically, damp proof membrane is a sheet of some sort of waterproof material. It is put in place in one piece, whenever possible, underneath your concrete floor. The whole idea is to keep dampness from seeping in through the flooring.
Connecting Damp Proofers
When you use damp proofers in walls and connect them to a damp proof membrane on the floor, you will have an extra level of protection against dampness in your home. Because the two are connected, there will be a seal that will keep dampness outside where it belongs.
