The most annoying problem that homeowners deal with each year is dampness in their homes. Damp depends on a number of things, such as how old a building is and how effective the insulation is.
Long-term dampness can lead to serious problems within the home and lead to health and safety risks for homeowners and their families. Here are some signs that your home has rising damp issues.
1. A Stained Wall
The most obvious sign when searching for dampness build-up is the appearance of stains on the walls and floors. These can also be in the shape of watermarks.
In case your house does not have sufficient ventilation, tide marks may appear at the bottom of the walls, directly on top of the skirting board. This usually happens when water that was on the ground has already evaporated. Even though wall-stains are most common in bathrooms and kitchens, they can show up anywhere, especially where there is dampness.
2. Wallpaper That is Peeling
If you find that the wallpaper in your drawing room is starting to peel, even though you just got your entire house renovated a month ago, you may be dealing with a damp issue.
When moisture builds up on walls, dried wallpaper glue is rehydrated. This causes the paper to become loose and peels from the wall. You may often find peeling wallpaper right in the corner of the room where two walls join. Make sure to look behind furniture when searching for peeling wallpaper.
3. Weakened Skirting Board
When damp goes unnoticed for long periods of time, it starts to cause damage. Wooden fixtures can get affected because of the built-up moisture, along with the wallpapers in the room. One of the first things that get affected is the skirting boards because they are close to the floor.
When dampness infects skirting boards, the wood starts to decay and becomes mushy over time. If the wood is exposed to moisture for long periods of time, it will start to rot and cause more expensive, lengthy replacements. In case you notice a slight crack in your skirting board, don’t delay – immediately address the damp problem before it spreads to the rest of your house.
4. Reappearing Mould
Mould is one of the first things that show up in the house when there is damp. In case you notice mould on the walls, immediately check for damp. Mould can spread alarmingly, so make sure you do not delay the process of discovering where the damp is coming from.
Take some bleach to clean the mould away the first time you find it. Keep checking to see if it reappears. If it does, you have a damp issue that needs to be dealt with. Remember, you can nip the problem in the bud before you are forced to make lengthy renovations and spend loads of money on fixtures. These signs that your home has rising damp issues will ensure that you’re able to identify the problem and fix it before it’s too late.