How to Treat Damp

So you’ve identified that you have damp in your property. Perhaps you’ve found damp patches on a wall inside your home. Or maybe you’ve got blistering paint. Damp tends to happen when water from the outside manages to get into a building structure, but there are several ways you can actually treat damp to get rid of this problem. And certainly, if you leave damp without any treatment, there’s a high chance that you can lead to a rapid damage to the appearance and structure of your home in addition to any health hazards that may also be experienced.

The traditional route of damp proofing could be seen as an answer to your problem. It acts as a long-term barrier as a preventative before damp truly takes hold. Most properties have a damp proof course built into the walls just above ground level – in order to prevent damp from happening. Back in 1875 the Public Health Act was set up to make sure that all properties had some form of damp course built in, however, you might be aware that subsidence can happen and soon your walls can deteriorate if damp gets to them.

Retrospective fitting of a damp proof course is often done during rebuilding. However, it can cause major structural problems, particularly if the building is historic. It’s also unsuitable for walls that are randomly coursed. Not only that, it can cause deterioration of masonry underneath the damp course.

Damp proofing isn’t a permanent cure however. So you’re likely to have to find alternative solutions for the regular upkeep of your walls, which can be costly – in addition to finding the time to maintain.

If you were to choose a chemical option, this would involve injecting chemical solutions into the holes at the bottom of the wall in the hope of creating a waterproof barrier. Yet again, this may not be suitable for older buildings. If you’re thinking of using this method, you’ll find that injecting holes won’t be possible in granite or flint. It can also be difficult to create a substantial barrier in rubble walls with voids.

You could also opt for a tanking solution for penetrating damp. This is where a liquid chemical coating can be added to the wet walls. Or alternatively, a chemical injection where a concentrated solution is injected into holes in the affected wall. You would still need to re-plaster once the damp proofing has been completed.

But there are alternatives that can successfully treat the symptoms and the causes of damp without the need for chemicals. And more cost-effective too. The Schrijver System brings you a totally green alternative. With a lower installation cost and no need for redecoration, it also comes with a lifetime guarantee for total reassurance. No harsh chemicals are needed.

In a nutshell, it uses natural ventilation or airflow to prevent any damp from happening in your home. By simply inserting small hand-made elements into your outside walls just above skirting board level, dry air is able to easily flow from the outside into the elements. By doing this, it creates a drop in temperature so that any moisture is collected by the element. So you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ll have dry wall protection without having a detrimental effect on the environment or the health of anyone in your home.