Moisture and Dampness in Buildings
Detection and treatment
Moisture and dampness in buildings such as offices, houses, hotels and industrial buildings can be extremely difficult to detect and treat. Experienced building reinstatement companies and damp specialists may carry out a damp survey to determine the extent of the problem. The next step is to offer solutions which could involve, drying or dehumidification, removing mould from walls, applying a wet rot treatment or applying a damp proof membrane amongst other services. Often a powerful drying out method is required such as using an industrial dehumidifier. However, experience is needed to really assess the dampness in buildings as, often, the level of water detected is entirely appropriate.
Let us consider what forms water can take though, as in its different forms it needs to be treated appropriately:
Water as Ice
Water as a solid is, of course, ice. Here in the UK we often experience freezing weather in winter and water expands into ice which can be very damaging, causing severe water damage. Of course, ice in a building can lead to frozen pipes that burst when thawing, requiring sophisticated water leak detection solutions to locate the water leak in the building. But ice in the fabric of walls can also cause the surfaces to crack and crumble requiring restoration companies to effect repairs.
Water as a Liquid
Liquid water is the most common form that causes problems in buildings and water leak detection can be extremely challenging, usually requiring specialist leak detection systems.
Water as a Vapour
This is not the same as gas, the molecules are held in suspension and move between a liquid and a gas.
Water in buildings is generally in three forms: -
Bound Water: This is water mixed with the material during the construction process. Large amounts will evaporate off during the setting of concrete and plaster however the remaining water content is referred to as ‘chemically bound water’ That water is physically part of the concrete and plaster in a building.
Sorbed Water: This is water absorbed directly from the air. The hygroscopic properties of the building materials and humidity are two factors that affect this.
Capillary Water: This water that is drawn up into the capillaries and fabric of the building material.
The challenge is to ensure that the water content from the damp survey is not actually totally acceptable levels of Bound Water or Sorbed Water. So the inexperienced use of a simple damp meter may cause anxiety and confusion and can result in unnecessary drying out costs. REMEMBER - Moisture meters are electrical resistance meters calibrated for the detection of moisture in wood ONLY. They should be viewed as just one of the tools damp proof service companies use to conduct a professional damp survey. In the hands of a layman, they can be misleading.
For masonry, concrete and brickwork you require other damp testing solutions such as Carbide (Speedy Meters), Gravimetric Testing or Equilibrium relativity testing which requires the drilling of holes to test to approved standards (BS 820)
Paradigm Reinstatements is based in central Scotland and is one of the UK’s leading water leak detection and damp repair companies. They utilise a wide range of damp testing tools, industry leading expertise to provide expert damp detection and damp proofing services
As a result, Paradigm are one of the leading building reinstatement companies appointed by several of the UK’s leading insurance companies.
Do You Have An Issue With Dampness?
If so, give us a call to discuss, it costs nothing to talk. We've also made it really easy for our customers - both Domestic and Commercial - to upload photographs and to get a Free Quote.
