"Damp" is a miserable word, isn't it? It evokes the same 'ugh' feeling as 'grey', 'doom' and 'moist' and actual damp in your home can cause similar negative feelings. Unfortunately, most home-owners will encounter damp at some point in their house owning careers but what causes this pest, which can lead to respiratory issues and problems with your immune system, unpleasant smells and your home looking downright awful?

Mould and damp are the results of too much moisture in your home. Excess moisture can be a inconvenient consequence of the following factors:

Cause One: Leaky pipes and guttering systems: This is possibly the most cited reason we find for the appearance of damp in solid outside walls, especially those walls above installed damp courses, which are a layer of waterproof material in a wall close to the ground to help the household avoid rising damp. Rising damp is the type of excess moisture that occurs when ground water rises up a structure from the ground via a capillary action, in which water flows through a narrow space without the help of external forces like gravity. This unsavoury form of damp can also be the culprit for timber rot to wood located nearby or touching the damp masonry.

When guttering and rainwater pipes become blocked with falling leaves and other waste, they can naturally become damaged and need to be checked and cleared out frequently. Your guttering is likely to be high up and if you've got a phobia of heights you might be better off hiring a qualified tradesmen to to the job on your behalf, though if heights don't bother you it is possible to carefully unblock them yourself.

Cause Two: Condensation: When water drops gather on a cold service like a window when humid air comes in contact with the cool surface- is unfortunately becoming more common. This is due to modern building methods to make houses more airtight to conserve heat- great for reducing domestic energy consumption but also gives condensation a helping hand! if left untreated, condensation can result in the growth of ugly mould and breathing related health problems.

Cause Three: High ground: When a property is situated on a slope, the ground might be built up against the side of it. This built up ground can actually rise over time in older houses going unnoticed, meaning the ground level is higher than the damp proof course. Likewise, it can also be troublesome if the damp proof course is too near to the ground level and it's recommended that the damp proof causes should be, at minimum, 15cm above the outside ground level.

Penetrating damp is the ensuing dewiness that happens when water flows latterly through a building if a wall runs underground and prone to groundwater entering it or if the wall is at a higher level and vulnerable to rainwater seeping through. 

Cause Four: Poor building standards: Though you would hope your home would have been constructed using quality methods, sadly this isn't always the case. Damage to the roof or to the area near window frames could lead to rain trickling in, whilst a new build might still contain water employed when building it, such as in the plaster, which still needs to dry out. When a building job has been rushed or finished insufficiently it may not even have a damp proof course so you should always check you home extensively, particularly windows, doors and outside walls. 

Caused Five: Clogged vents: In a similar way to blocked pipework, ground level vents can have the impact of an accumulation of clammy wetness in the wall or within wooden beams. Condensation can be an unwanted consequence of this moisture build up and can vary on the level of seriousness but should always be checked.

In addition to our interior transformation and green building services, we also offer reliable and worthwhile damp proofing.  Why should you pick Bray Remedial Services to combat your damp problems?

* We are proud to be members of the Property Care Association (PCA) formerly known as BWPDA, who are the governing body for the damp proofing and timber preservation industry here in the UK.

* All our surveyors are experienced and fully qualified, with our founder Danny Bray being a certified Surveyor in Remedial Treatment, after completing the PCA's Surveyor in Remedial Treatments Training Course, covering remedial damp proofing and timber preservation.

* Completed damp proofing works are accompanied by our own 10 year guarantee to rectify any defect in the treatment at no extra cost to you, the customer.

* For additional peace of mind we also offer insurance backed guarantees to uphold the guarantee should we cease trading.