We have years of experience providing customers in Hull and East Riding with high-quality damp proofing services. It is critical that you treat damp in your home as soon as possible in order to limit the amount of damage and keep costs from rising.

Home renovations can be a daunting task. Speak with OPC, and we’ll work with you to make the process as stress-free as possible. Our skilled professionals offer a high-quality service at a reasonable price, and we will always respect your home, keeping it as clean and tidy as possible. If you need assistance with a smaller home improvement project, that’s fine; we can assist with all jobs, big and small.

Damp proofing can be very expensive if a damp problem is misdiagnosed and the incorrect treatment is used. Internal damp can be caused by a variety of factors, including condensation, penetrating damp, rising damp, and flue salts.

You can contact OPC today for a free quotation, and we will schedule a visit from one of our surveyors at a time that is convenient for you.

What are the advantages of damp proofing your property?

Damp is a common problem that many people have to deal with in their properties, especially in older properties that don’t have a modern damp proofing course installed. While it may be easy to ignore small damp patches or little clusters of dark mould on the walls, damp can quite easily become a larger issue that can lead to a number of different problems including unpleasant smells along with an unappealing appearance and, more dangerously, health issues and structural problems within your home. Below we take a look at some of the advantages of damp proofing your property and the main reasons why you should get your home damp proofed.

Prevent health issues

Perhaps the most important advantage of damp proofing your home is to prevent health issues that can occur from being in a damp property. Mould and mildew forms and thrives in damp conditions and the last thing that you will want is mould in your home. Mould typically appears in the form of unsightly patches of brown, black or green with a musty and dank smell and, if you are exposed to this mould and the toxins, it can be both unpleasant and dangerous. Health issues that are associated with damp and mould include headaches, wheezing, coughing and throat and eye irritation. Damp proofing walls will eliminate the above potential health issues and ensure that you and your family remain healthy.

Avoid unpleasant smells

As mentioned above, untreated mould as a result of damp can create a dank and musty smell around your home. You may experience an unpleasant smell but not know where it is coming from; this may be because the damp patch or mould spores are hidden behind a piece of furniture. The smell of damp and mould can become strong and overwhelming in your home; you do not want it to stop you from having guests around or for it to interfere with your everyday life. Luckily, with the correct damp treatment carried out by a specialist you should be able to get rid of the smell fairly easily. Just remember that when it comes to damp, out of sight should not mean out of mind.

Improve the appearance of your home by damp proofing walls

As well as removing or preventing an unpleasant smell, damp proofing your property will also improve the overall appearance of your home. No longer will you have dark patches of damp or mould spores crawling up your walls, but instead you will have a clean and smooth canvas to decorate over. Painting over damp patches can cause the paint to crack and ripple and, often, the black patches can show through paint. Instead of wasting your time and money on products in an attempt to cover up damp patches, it is best to first damp proof your home completely. Once the damp has been treated completely, you will have a clean smooth wall to paint over – and the paint will last on the walls far longer.

Avoid decreasing the value of your property

Unless treated properly and professionally, damp patches will be a continuous issue in your home and the problem will keep coming back, especially if you are painting over these patches. If you are looking to sell up your home soon, or may potentially want to in the future, then recurring damp spots could cause you a few problems. It may put future buyers off your property, as not many people will want to invest in a new home that already has problems and issues – particularly problems that can cause health issues and smells. It will also look generally unattractive on your walls, putting people off. Damp proofing your home will ensure that your property is in top condition and the most appealing that it can be to buyers.

Prevent structural problems in your building

A more serious issue that can be caused by damp is structural damage to your property. Bad damp conditions can cause fundamental damage to the timbers in your property’s structure – something that you definitely want to avoid. Wet rot occurs when a fungus makes timber damp or wet. This wet rot fungi makes the wood feel spongy and mushy as it breaks the wood down into fibres, causing it to collapse and crumble away. Wet rot can also rot and fester in carpets, wallpapers and plaster.

Dry rot is an even more serious condition than wet rot; it can attack any area of your property and even grow through walls into neighbouring properties. Dry rot is a fungus that causes wood decay, attacking and digesting parts of wood that gives timber its strength and stiffness. This fungus essentially diminishes timber into a crumbly, dry state – not ideal when it is an integral part of the structure of a building. Dry rot is caused when buildings and properties are poorly ventilated. Damp proofing your home will help to prevent both wet rot and dry rot.

Different types of damp

Different types of damp require different types of treatments and remedies, so it is important to know which type of damp is actually affecting your home before you can select the correct treatment. Luckily, a surveyor from a damp proofing company will be able to come out to your home and identify this for you. Below are three common types of damp:

• Rising damp is caused by unwanted water and moisture moving slowly upwards through the walls and structure of a property. It usually affects older properties that do not have damp proof up to modern standard, but can be treated with rising damp treatment.
• Condensation is usually caused by excess moisture and water vapour and poor ventilation in a property. Excess water vapour can be caused by everyday things such as showering or cooking. Condensation is most common in homes that lack sufficient ventilation.
• Penetrating damp occurs when water comes through the external material of a building (typically caused by rain penetration) and saturates a wall, causing it to become damp.

Different types of damp treatment

• Timber preservation is the best way to eliminate, restore and correct issues like woodworms and rotten wood.
• Condensation control works by removing damp laden air, improving the air quality and making sure that there is filtered and fresh air flowing into the property. The main way to control condensation is to effectively ventilate the property.
• Resin beam end repair can fix broken or damaged structural points, including beam ends, in a building using a timber splice resin bonded with reinforcement rods.
• Other types of treatment and damp proofing methods include wet rot and dry rot treatment, woodworm treatments and basement conversions.

We know that damp is a common problem in homes and properties everywhere and we are aware of the damage and problems that can be caused by damp. This is why we provide reliable and comprehensive damp proofing services to ensure that your home or commercial property is always in top condition. Our team of specialists also offer services in dry and wet rot, timber treatment, condensation control, wood preservation, basement conversions and woodworm.

No matter what type of damp is affecting your home, our trustworthy surveyors are expertly trained to identify the exact cause of your damp problem and provide effective solutions, from domestic rising damp treatment to commercial damp proofing. With over 20 years of valuable experience and an excellent reputation based on our high-quality services, we can put your mind at rest. We can quickly and promptly visit your property to analyse and identify the type of damp and the causes behind the damp, and then we will provide you with fast damp proofing solutions that will last and protect your property.

To discuss your requirements, simply get in touch today.