Is your property suffering from any type of damp? It's a very annoying problem that can result in higher energy costs. The problem is, if your property is suffering from dampness it causes the air temperature to fall. So your property will feel cold. This will use up more energy to increase the air temperature and make your property warmer.

Therefore it's really important to keep things damp proof.  It's not a major operation to get rid of the problem and keeping out is really easy once you install the right things. However, if you don't sort out the problem; damp can get into your fixtures. If your walls become damp it can result in rotting which will cost a lot to fix and put right.

In this article we'll look at how to keep your property damp-proof. There are many different ways of keeping the dampness out. It's recommended that you hire the right professionals and experts to get the job done properly. That way; your property will stay damp-proof for many years to come.

Damp Proofing Walls

To damp proof a wall you need to install some sort of barrier to stop the damp from entering in the first place. There are two main ways of doing this; either installing a damp-proof course into the existing wall or to inject a chemical barrier into the wall.

The method of installing a damp proof course involves inserting a damp-proof membrane into the existing wall. This will stop any future damp from entering into the building and if done properly, is the most effective method and will last for a long time.

Before installing the damp-proof courses you need to first work out where to install it. In older houses, rising damp from the floor may be the cause of the dampness. If wooden floors have been used, then the damp-proof course should be installed at least 150mm below floor level but above the outside ground level.

Where solid floorings have been used and damp-proofed you may need to install the damp-proof membrane into the walls. This is a procedure which requires heavy-duty machinery which can be hired. Before starting any work; make sure you clear the walls on both sides from electrical wirings, plumbing, skirting boards etc.

You'll then need to use an angle grinder or tungsten-carbide tipped chainsaw that's designed for the purpose. You can then insert the damp-proof membrane. The best materials to use are copper sheet, bituminous felt or thick polythene as these provide the best waterproofing materials.

When using heavy machinery; make sure you take extra care. Only tackle 1 metre of wall at a time due to the weakened structure when adding the extra materials. It's recommended to hire professionals to help with the task that have experience in installing damp proofing courses.

Once the task has been completed your property will no longer suffer from dampness and will be much cheaper to heat up.

Permagard Ltd for damp proofing.