Penetrating damp is one of the most common damp problems in homes and buildings.  It can occur for many reasons, through walls, roofing or openings such as windows and doors.  It can result in visible damp and wet patches on walls and black mould on walls and ceilings.  Plaster and paint may blister and overall, there may be a musty smell to the affected room(s).

Water penetrates through the outside of a property to appear inside, and common defects that cause penetrating damp include:

• Roof problems and faults including damaged or missing flashing, cracked or mossing roof tiles and damaged or missing render
• Faulty brickwork or masonry which may be because of missing or cracked pointing and porous bricks or stonework
• Poorly applied or missing/cracked mastic (sealant) around window and door frames
• Blocked weep holes
• Missing or damaged cavity wall trays

Whilst penetrating damp is more common in areas with single-skin walls, it can also occur in cavity walls if water finds a way to track across wall ties or is rubble builds up inside the wall cavity.

Resolving and treating penetrating damp

The most common treatment for penetrating damp is to first address all of the reasons for the damp getting into your property in the first place.  From there we offer a tanking system where the affected areas are treated with appropriate chemicals to form a waterproof barrier to prevent any future penetrating damp problems returning. Cavity membranes are also a great way to stop penetrating damp; every system has its place and is more suitable for certain situations which is why we offer them all.