Condensation & Mould

Condensation in a building is caused by high humidity and a lack of adequate ventilation. Humid conditions create moisture laden air, containing water droplets caused by cooking, washing, bathing, and breathing, etc. Damp weather externally and high vapour pressure within a building will also create a humid environment.

Where moisture droplets become heavy and contact cold surfaces, particularly in remote corners, confined spaces, unventilated areas, cupboards, wardrobes, etc., the moisture condenses upon the cold surface and turns back to water.

Where there is an organic food source present, i.e., dust, this creates an ideal environment for mould spores to germinate and grow, resulting in unsightly black, green, white, mould, etc.

Anchor Property Care cater for and install a range of mechanical and automatic ventilation systems, fans, etc for a wide range of buildings and properties. Our surveying and design team can assess the most efficient method of ventilation for your property.

Damp Proofing

Rising damp occurs when water from the ground is absorbed up through the capillaries of masonry, primarily in the joints stone, brick or other regional methods of construction, e.g., mortar joints, which can be of various types, lime, sand and cement, ash. Water can travel through these capillaries to a height which will be determined by how narrow the capillary tube is. The narrower the capillary tube, the greater the height reached.

The water contains salts and minerals from the ground, which also travel up the masonry and as the moisture evaporates through the masonry and wall finishes, i.e., plaster, wallpaper, decoration, etc., the salts and minerals are deposited in and on the surface plaster and finishes. Salt is hygroscopic, which means it has a re-wetting action and absorbs moisture from the air. Hence the wall surfaces will show signs of damp.

To overcome the cause of this problem in new construction, a physical damp proof course is installed at least 150mm above external ground level to prevent the rise of water within the wall by breaking the continuity of the capillary action.

Sometimes the damp proof course is missing, broken down, degraded or has been breached, allowing moisture to rise up the wall through capillary action, i.e. rising damp.

Damp causes damage to interior plasterwork and can spoil decorations. It shows itself by causing wallpaper to peel and paint to blister. These problems are often made worse by the appearance of efflorescent salts on the surface of the wall. These salts, if deliquescent or hygroscopic can make matters worse as they will extract moisture from the air, which is absorbed into the affected and contaminated wall surface and showing as dampness.

The physical deterioration caused by rising damp, and the costs involved in remedial repairs are significant enough. However, a cold damp property is an unhealthy environment and expensive to heat. These defects can be further aggravated as rising damp can cause other associated defects such as dry rot and wet rot, which once established, can spread rapidly be destructive and expensive to eradicate.

Penetrating Damp is caused by a variety of building defects, such as cracked and defective external render, damaged and defective rainwater goods, i.e., downpipes and gutters, leaking roofs, high external ground levels and badly fitted or decayed joinery.

Damp and moisture penetration through external walls at low level can often be confused with rising damp and care must be taken during to accurately identify all building defects that may be contributing to dampness within the property. Wet and dry rot attacks are often instigated by external defects, allowing water to penetrate the fabric of the building.

Hygroscopic salts are a symptom of both rising and penetrating damp and can trap moisture and will continue to be present following damp proofing treatment and remedial repairs. These salts will remain indefinitely unless eliminated, which means removing defective and contaminated wall coverings, i.e., plaster, decoration, etc. They are often the result of rising damp and on completion of damp proofing treatments in a building, any moisture present above the level of the new damp proof course will in time evaporate naturally. However, whilst this process takes place, salts and minerals within the masonry and fabric of the building will migrate (be carried) to the surface of the wall.

There are various chemical types of salts which come from different sources such as unwashed building sand, contaminated masonry and substrate from agricultural buildings that have been converted into living accommodation. There are also salts within the ground.

Existing contaminated wall plaster must be removed in conjunction with remedial damp proofing treatments to eliminate future contamination and further dampness.

Treatments

The installation of a new damp proof course is designed to create a continuous barrier throughout the length and width of the wall to reduce the capillary rise of moisture. More common methods of damp proofing treatments used by Anchor Property Care are as follows:

Silicone Injection Cream

Aqueous based siliconate cream is a concentrated emulsion and is injected into pre-drilled holes in the base of the masonry wall and has the effect of reversing the meniscus in porous masonry. Once inserted, the siliconate prevents moisture from rising within the capillaries, creating a new damp proof course.

Electro-Osmosis has advantages in stone walls of greater thickness. The system introduces a low electrical current into the wall just above ground level, which reverses the polarity of a positive charge. Its effect is to repel moisture molecules down the wall and harmlessly back into the ground.

Mortar Injection

The mortar injection method uses a specially formulated dry mix of cement, quartz and reactive chemicals. Once mixed with water, the chemicals released react to form a crystalline growth, which penetrates and blocks the capillaries, pores and fine cracks within the mortar joints.

Areas We Cover

We provide damp, condensation and mould services across Barnstaple and North Devon, including:

Barnstaple, Bideford, Ilfracombe, Braunton, Northam, Appledore, Instow, South Molton, Torrington, Woolacombe, Combe Martin, Lynton & Lynmouth, Umberleigh — and surrounding areas — plus Exmoor and wider Devon by request.