Dampco | Local business
Dampco
Phone: +61 1300 382 826
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25.01.2022 HORRIFIC CONDENSATION Condensation can build up alarmingly in many dwellings during winter, as demonstrated below. Often appearing overnight, windows can appear to be like rivers, with water pouring down on the internal surface. Condensation is simply to fix and can be alleviated overnight. it is simply a matter of removing the built up moisture by increasing ventilation to the dwelling. This needs to be permanent. Sometimes, this can be achieved by simply opening doors and ...windows more frequently - and every day. Other times, when a dwelling gets overwhelmed with built up moisture, adding a mechanical ventilation system is the only way this can be remediated. In the UK, condensation is removed by ADDING fresh external air to the internal air. In Australia, we remove the moisture laden internal air by adding ventilation which exhausts the internal air from the dwelling while allowing fresh air in through natural openings in the building. One of the problems that can occur with added ventilation which exhausts the internal air is that the dwelling can run out of air. In this instance, natural or passive vents also need to be added to the dwelling. See more
25.01.2022 SUBFLOOR DAMP IMPACTING INTERNALLY This commercial property has developed issues internally including deteriorating render and plaster and crumbling mortar. Upon investigation we determined that the moisture was entering the building from the subfloor and we guessed that there was a gap between the wall and the floor, a very common issue with older properties where the floor level subsides slightly over a period of time. On starting the job we removed the skirting boards and ...discovered the gap as predicted. When this occurs the solution is to separate the subfloor from the internal building envelope (if there is no allowable access to the subfloor void in which case a subfloor ventilation system would be installed to dry out the subfloor) by sealing the gap and (sometimes) injecting a dampcourse into the lowest available course of bricks. The problem with dampcourses is that some companies see them as the answer to all moisture issues. This is not the case as they do NOT resolve the underlying problem - excessive moisture in the subfloor. Ideally, the moisture would be removed from the subfloor via mechanical ventilation so that long term the subfloor dries out. This job is ongoing but we have so far removed the damaged render, coated the exposed bricks with a cementitious slurry waterproofing compound, coated that with an epoxy vapour barrier and then re rendered the affected areas. See more
25.01.2022 NEWPORT - Damp repairs and new bathroom The owner was between tenants and an inspection revealed water damage to the bathroom wall and walls in the adjacent kitchen and hallway. As can be seen from the pictures here, the rendered walls were compromised due to water leaks from the ageing shower recess (pictured). To ensure the repair, all the tiles had to be removed from the walls so the owner decided to renew the bathroom. We suggested a walk in shower recess and an increase ...in size at the same time. This involved removing the existing hip bath, moving the plumbing to another wall and cutting the slab to fit a walk in shower base. At the same time we had to strip the render and plaster from three damaged walls, re render and replaster them after fitting an epoxy vapour barrier to the walls. The vapour barrier is required to ensure residual moisture in the brick walls would not impact on the new wall coatings. This is necessary because it is not possible to completely dry the walls before recoating due to time restraints. The shower recess was fitted, and following waterproofing of both walls and floor, new tiles were laid on the walls and floor and we also fixed the kitchen while we were at it by tiling the floor and fitting new kitchen cabinets. The end result is a terrific new bathroom! See more
25.01.2022 NEXT WEEK JOB 1 We are completing a job where mould and mushrooms have been growing out of the mortar between bathroom floor tiles See pics). All fungal growth and mould is caused by moisture - so to repair it the moisture trail needs to be followed, the source of moisture discovered and repaired. In this instance water is escaping form the shower recess due to poor sealing and over time, the escaping water had damaged the mortar and mould has started to grow. The solution to this is to remove all damaged tiles, dry and then waterproof the substrate before our tilers will re tile the floor with new tiles. They will then be sealed and the recess will be caulked correctly so nor more water escapes. The repair will end up coasting the home owner around $4,000 - all because of poor maintenance and sloppy workmanship.
23.01.2022 NEXT WEEK JOB 2 A mouldy odour from the subfloor of a rental property prompted a leading Melbourne estate agent to ask for our help as new tenants were due to move in. Odour from the subfloor is ALWAYS CAUSED BY TRAPPED MOISTURE, EITHER FROM A LEAK OF SOME SORT OR SIMPLY DUE TO A LACK OF VENTILATION. In this instance what we thought was odour due to a lack of ventilation turned out to be caused by a water issue under the house in addition to poor ventilation. What was a simpl...e installation of ventilation has turned into a much larger and more difficult job. We first have to pump out all the water from under the house after determining that the water issue was caused by a missing sump pump which presumably had been set up to remove permanent ground water which was settling under the house. The established pit and drain provided a clue (!) to the missing sump pump - unfortunately as the owners are overseas investors noone knows the history of the house so noone knows how long water has been an issue. To make matters worse the power is off so we have been unable to pump out the water as yet without bring our generator to the site. Our plumber David has just installed a new sump pump and we will remove the water, install some fans to try and dry it out a bit (to dry a damp subfloor takes months not days) and then install the ventilation system to dry it out over the long term. All water damaged ducting will also need to be replaced and new tenants are moving in in 5 days - so we are under the pump! What was a simple three day no pressure job costing the owner around $4,000 has now turned into a panic job costing the owner around $9,000! And the ducting is well over 20 years old, badly contaminated with dust and the insulation lining the ductwork is breaking down and mould ridden! Pics show water under house and ducting laying in water. Pit for sump pump with no pump meaning the subfloor is flooding. See more
20.01.2022 RISING DAMP We are currently working on an issue where moisture has caused damage to the internal walls of a hairdressing salon. These issues are always the same - either caused by excessive and trapped moisture in the subfloor or by moisture wicking into the masonry walls via concrete or soil being butted directly up to the external wall surfaces with no moisture barrier between the concrete or soil. In this instance there are both issues in play. Internally the walls have b...een compromised by moisture and the subfloor is not accessible. Normally, we would always recommend dealing with the moisture in the subfloor by installing a ventilation system. This is like ensuring that the footings of a house are firm before embarking on a renovation. Unless you get the basics right, nothing else will ever be any good. In the absence of ventilation, the only recourse is to isolate the internal building envelope from the subfloor using a combination of a dampcourse treatment and vapour barriers added to the internal brick wall surface. Externally, there were mortar issues (as per pic) whereby the mortar was deteriorating and crumbling due to excessive salts caused by rising damp caused by moisture transferring from the tiles butted directly up against the brickwork allowing moisture to transfer. This is repaired by removing the compromised moisture and repointing with a mixture of mortar and a cementitious waterproofing compound. See more
20.01.2022 Working on waterproofing a basement wall (again!) in Mooroolbark, where the joint between walll and slab (again!) leaks when it rains. Owner was not able to fix it but it is pretty simple with the right products and if you know what to do with them. First we seal the joint and in this instance we did not need to chase it out to open up a channel as the joint was above ground level (if that makes sense). So we applied a plug/slurry product over the joint, then fitted a fibregl...ass reinforced cloth (polycloth) and applied a membrane over the cloth to adhere it to the surface. Even though the membrane we used is designed for the positive side of the wall, it works fine as a sealant on the negative side as long as it is then reinforced with other products designed for the negative side of the wall. Next we rendered the area below the joint to above the joint to smooth out the surface and then applied Sikalastic ( a truly GREAT product) to bond and seal the area. We have left that to dry and will go back next week to render over the waterproofing and then apply a vapour barrier. Our motto is the more waterproofing coatings the better. We do NOT want to have to go back and repair shoddy work in a few years time! Unless it is someone else's shoddy work! Pics from left ( I have missed out on part of the process because we forgot to take pics as we went along) the leaking joint from the inside, the joint after we plugged the joint, applied polycloth to the joint and then membraned it, then the joint after we applied Sikalastic. Now we are leaving it to dry and next week will render and apply vapour barrier - then the owner Dave can reinstate the stud wall and fill in the trench. See more
19.01.2022 Crumbling mortar and damaged rendered wall in commercial premises as described in previous post. Moisture damaged skirting board. Gap between wall and floor allows moisture to enter built environment.
19.01.2022 Internally, once we had repaired the external surface which was allowing moisture and water to enter the subfloor, we applied a liquid membrane to the wall surface of the subfloor and installed a subfloor ventilation system. The aim of the ventilation system is to dry out the subfloor which had been damp for a long time and which takes many months to dry out - and with no real ventilation, it would have never dried out. Our ventilation system is a ducted once, with two fans and four outlets. Switched via a timer mounted in a storeroom above, it will operate for a few hours a day until the moisture is gone. Once the subfloor is dry, the efflorescence deposits on the walls and the fungal growth on the soil will disappear.
19.01.2022 A house in Balaclava had an issue with mould and condensation - a common theme during winter. An inspection of the property revealed the usual issues - a lack of heating and a lack of ventilation. We recommended raising the core temperature of the building by installing wall mounted heaters utilising existing power outlets to keep the cost down. In addition, we suggested adding ducted ventilation through the available roof cavity to remove built up moisture from the rooms and... adding insulation as there was none. We installed both over a 2 day period and whilst we were installing the hardware, we ran a couple of HEPA filtered airscrubbers (pictured) to reduce airborne particulates (mould spores). After two days of running the heaters and ventilation (ventilation on a timer which we run for a few hours a day) the core temperature of the dwelling had been raised and the condensation issue had gone. This is a common problem and the answer is always the same. Increase the core temperature of the dwelling and increase ventilation. A guaranteed solution. The beauty of these heaters (pictured) is that they use an existing power outlet, they can be left on permanently with a thermostatically controlled set temperature (we recommend at least 13 degrees C) - and they cost less than $400 per room. Now the occupants have warm and dry rooms, no condensation and no mould. See more
18.01.2022 We can repair ANY water or moisture issue you may encounter at your home, factory or office. We specialise in both water and damp remediation and also mould remediation works. We own a comprehensive range of equipment required to dry buildings fast and restore them as efficiently as possible.
17.01.2022 Commenced working on leaking verandah. We are using the existing tiles as a substrate and are going to waterproof over the top of the tiles and then retile. Fist we focussed on the obvious leaking points which were the expansion joints (pictured below) that had been left during the tiling. Using a waterproofing plug product we filled these obvious weak points and then strengthened them using polycloth and membraned over the top, securing the joints. Once that work had been co...mpleted and dried (struggling to dry it as it is raining so much in Melbourne at present) we then laid down a fibreglass reinforcing mat and membraned the entire verandah. While waiting for the first coat to cure and dry (hopefully) we started work on the room below the verandah, stripping the coatings from the wall and ceiling - and we discovered a large crack that has been the source of most of the water leaking into the room. The previous owner had chosen to hide the crack using a tin channel, as opposed to repairing it for some strange reason. We plugged the crack and the joint between wall and ceiling as well as stripping the walls. The render and concrete is in good condition, so we plan to apply a moisture membrane to both the walls and ceiling, render and plaster the walls. See more
17.01.2022 ARE DAMPCOURSES THE ANSWER TO ALL MOISTURE ISSUES? The answer to this is a resounding - NO! Sometimes they are useful and we often inject dampcourse solutions into many brick walls. But the fact is there are other solutions which are more effective in many instances - and the fact is, the dampcourse does not address the underlying cause of excessive moisture. The dampcourse will only stop moisture from wicking upwards through the masonry brick surface. It does not address the... moisture issues which will be damaging the flooring, and structural timbers which are not protected by the dampcourse. The more desirable approach is to address the causes of the excessive moisture in the subfloor - normally a lack of ventilation - in addition to adding a dampcourse. Our approach is to address the underlying cause and also apply a dampcourse and a moisture barrier. The moisture barrier address the issue of penetrating or horizontal damp, whereby damp enters the dwelling horizontally through the brick wall. An epoxy vapour barrier creates a barrier between the moisture in the brickwork and the internal wall coatings whilst the dampcourse protects against damp rising upwards from the subfloor via the brickwork and footings. In the pictures attached here, the damage on the left has been caused by moisture rising from the subfloor - but via a gap between the floor and wall, a very common entry point for moisture. In the middle, the damage has been caused by a leak from a wet area on the other side of the wall. Neither of these issues required resolving via a dampcourse. In the final picture, the classic damage caused in the subfloor by moisture. The fungal growth and salts attack the mortar and bricks and will eventually breakdown both if left. But please note that the house in the picture on the right has been standing for over 150 years and will still be standing in another 150 years even if left untreated. In this instance a dampcourse - accompanied by adding subfloor ventilation - was the best solution. The fact is, unless the subfloor damp impacts upon the internal building envelope, most buildings will remain stable despite rising damp issues. Obviously, a lack of ventilation leading to moisture issues in the subfloor should be addressed by attacking the cause of excessive moisture. See more
16.01.2022 More photos from both jobs. From left a new correctly positioned drainage point, newly fitted substrate in various stages of membraning and sealing of all joints. No shortcuts means that there will be no failure in future. Guaranteed.
15.01.2022 It is condensation and mould weather in Melbourne and we are getting heaps of calls about condensation and mould asking us to go and inspect it. My answer is always the same - we do NOT need to go and inspect it as we know why it is happening. Unless there is an horrific water leak (ingress if you like fancy words), the ONLY reason that dwellings get condensation and from there mould growth is because of a lack of ventilation (typically combined with a lack of heat). The ONLY... solution is to add ventilation (and heat if possible) and as soon as ventilation is added, the condensation disappears. Overnight. So, for all of you who experience condensation and mould - it can be fixed as long as you are prepared to spend the money to fix it. Many property owners and landlords make the mistake of trying to either blame the tenant or to delay the repairs hoping the issue will disappear. Unfortunately the only thing that disappears is generally their tenant and their money when the tenant takes them to the tribunal to recover funds from ruined mould covered clothes and furniture etc. See more
14.01.2022 LEAKING PENTHOUSE VERANDAH/PATIO We recently encountered an issue where a penthouse verandah 360 degrees was both leaking into the apartment and also causing issues in the ceiling of the apartment below. The substrate had not been waterproofed before tiling when the apartment was built and there were also issues with a lack of drainage leading to water pooling in several different areas on the tiled external areas. The first task was to remove all the tiles from the substrate..., a very difficult task given it was on the fourth floor. Using a rubbish shute and several skips, we managed to remove all the tiles. Over the next two months the area was waterproofed and new tiles were laid. The tiles were laid with a scope to increase the fall to dissipate the pooling water. We suggested that more drainage be added as there were too few to be able to create enough fall to get rid of all the pooled water, but this was decided against as it would have been a very difficult and expensive operation over and above an already very difficult and expensive operation. The end result was that the internal leaks and the leaks to the apartment below were all repaired. Unfortunately, due to a lack of drainage the fall could not be created around the entire apartment to ensure that no water pooled anywhere. Although greatly reduced, pooling was not eradacated. To eradicate pooling, fall needs to be created that will allow water to 'fall' toward the drains which remove the moisture. In this instance, in the worst area there was over 35 metres between drains! Cost $50,000+. See more
14.01.2022 DAMP SUBFLOOR WITH MOULD ISSUES INTERNALLY Does subfloor dampness cause mould to grow internally? NO! Unless there is a swamp or lake under the house, mould growth internally will not normally be an issue. Internal mould growth is almost always caused by a lack of ventilation internally. In this instance the owner was pregnant and concerned about a mouldy or must odour in the house. This odour is always a sign of moisture somewhere and int this instance the excessive moisture... was in the subfloor. On investigation we discovered a broken pipe which was causing water from the bathroom to leak into the subfloor void. Once the plumber repaired the broken pipe, we dried the subfloor as best we could (this would take months to do properly and would require a mechanical ventilation system to be installed), used ozone to remove the odour and fogged the void with Microban, a leading antimicrobial treatment. The odour was removed but we warned the owner that it may return without the installation of a mechanical ventilation system. See more
11.01.2022 First we dug a trench next to the affected wall of the gymnasium after the concrete paving was removed to allow access. This was dug by hand. Once the wall surface was exposed, we then applied a slurry to the surface. This slurry bonds to the surface and absorbs moisture in the masonry wall, leaving a relatively watertight surface. Because the surface was so rough, we decided to render it next. This provides us with a clean and relatively smooth suface which we know has no gaps which might allow water through. We do this if the existing surface is too rough and holey to waterproof 100%.
09.01.2022 HORIZONTAL DAMP This is a very common problem where external garden beds and soil are higher than some of the wall surfaces. This allows moisture to wick through the masonry wall and damage the internal wall coatings like render, plaster and paint. The solution to this - assuming that it is not possible to access the external wall surface - is to coat the internal wall with an epoxy vapour barrier which creates a barrier between the moisture and the internal wall surface. It is also advisable to seal the joint between the wall and floor, a common entry point for moisture. We are currently repairing a property that has this issue - see below.
09.01.2022 Over the next few weeks we are repairing a dwelling which has a leaking verandah with water pouring into the room below. We are also sorting out another verandah or paved area which is leaking water into the dwelling due to compromised grout and render. Damage pictured has been caused by the compromised verandah above the water damaged rooms pictured. To remedy this we have to waterproof the verandah to stem the leaks and then remove the damaged render, dry the surfaces and rebuild. About 2 weeks work.
09.01.2022 Once we had rendered the wall, we applied another coat of slurry to the render and sealed the joint (where the brickwork meets the footings - a common leak point) before applying a liquid membrane to the entire rendered surface. We applied two coats. Next we installed a physical barrier to protect the liquid membrane from damage and finally scoria was backfilled into the trench (which also had an AGI drain installed) ready for the installation of a new concrete path.
07.01.2022 We have recently completed a job in Kew where a basement was flooding badly whenever it rained heavily. The owners were wading into the room and had to use a sump pump to pump all the water out, often up to 400 - 500mm in depth. The source of the water was uncertain and it has still not been determined exactly why the basement was flooding. Our task was to stop it flooding as opposed to finding out why it was flooding. We were unable to access the positive (external) wall sur...faces so all of our damp works had to be completed on the negative side (internally). This means that the works are more difficult as we are not able to install physical barriers between the water and the wall. The weakest point of any wall is the joint between the wall and floor. We chased out the joint and created a channel. Then we filled the channel with Sikapro to seal it and then pasted a plug type product over the top of the Sikapro. Next we slurried the wall with a crystalline compound, which spreads through the masonry wall and fills any gaps which may be leaking water. Then we rendered the wall, slurried the render, rendered it again and then applied a vapour barrier and rendered and finally plastered and painted. The end result is a basement that no longer floods even though the water source has still not been determined and repaired. This is difficult work to get right but with enough effort, it is possible to successfully waterproof just about anything! From left, the photos are the room when we first saw it, the joint filled with Sikapro to seal the joint, the slurry applied to the wall which crystallises in the pores of the masonry wall and the last picture is the rendered and dry wall. See more
07.01.2022 REMOVING BOX AIRCONDITIONER Whilst sorting out some damp issues we were asked to remove an old airconditioner from the wall. Sounds simple? Not really - we had to first get our electrician to decommission the ac unit, then remove it from the wall, rebrick to area, render, plaster and paint. Around $1500 in the end.
07.01.2022 KEW RISING DAMP COMPLETED Again this damage was largely caused by damp rising from the subfloor via a large gap between wall and floor. This happens frequently in older houses as the floor settles over time often leaving a large gap. Once this is sealed and a vapour barrier is applied to the brick walls, the moisture issue will not re occur.
05.01.2022 MOULD Every day we get calls from people panicking about suspected mould in their dwelling. Unfortunately the mould industry, in collaboration with lazy doctors, has turned mould into something which many people are terrified of. This is because the mould industry makes a lot of money from terrifying people. We have inspected houses (mainly through our company www.mouldco.com.au) where other mould "professionals" (I use the word professional very very loosely) have turned up... in hazmet kit (!) and informed the owners that they should move out until the mould has been removed! And then we walk in with no masks, no hazmet clothing - and survive to tell the tale! The reality is that exposure to mould is completely harmless to the vast majority of people who live happily and healthily with mould present. The attached photos show ceilings in a flat infested with mould. This was the same in every single room. Yet the inhabitants lived there happily with no health issues for months and months until the agents freaked out and asked us to remediate the mould. See more
04.01.2022 CARLTON TERRACE COMPLETED As you can see the walls now look acceptable and the epoxy vapour barrier we have treated the naked brickwork with and the gaps between wall and floor we have sealed will stop any further moisture incursions. It is difficult during winter to expedite these jobs as the walls take a long time to dry. We have portable heaters with thermostats attached to speed up the drying process which help a lot. We turned this around in 4 days.
04.01.2022 MOULD AND CONDENSATION SEASON With winter approaching in Melbourne where we are located we will be inundated with home dwellers (home owners and renters alike) experiencing issues with internal condensation and mould. Every year we remediate mould and condensation afflicted properties. In reality, if homeowners simply observed the following - VENTILATE, VENTILATE AND THEN VENTILATE AGAIN - we would be out of business. Modern dwellings lack the built in ventilation of properti...es built 50 or more years ago., Passive vents seem to have been dropped from the building code, and improvements in window construction has led to many houses and apartments being effectively 'sealed', allowing no fresh air in, and importantly, no moisture laden internal air to leave the building. When moisture is trapped, and moisture is built up in every dwelling through everyday activities like breathing, cooking, showering etc, it will condensate on the coldest surfaces of the dwelling (windows, external facing wall surfaces, ceilings etc) , leading to mould generation. This can only be permanently remediated by removing the visible mould growth and adding ventilation to the dwelling. In the accompanying photos, mould can be seen growing on the ceiling almost in strips. Why does it grow like this? Because the insulation in the roof space is unevenly laid. So the patches of ceiling where mould is growing is colder than the patches next to them where mould is not growing. Mould always grows on the coldest surfaces. See more
04.01.2022 HORIZONTAL DAMP DUE TO CRACKED RENDER AND BRICKWORK Yet another job with damaged internal render and plaster. This time it has been caused by water which is wicking horizontally through the brick rendered wall from the external face. A lack of flashing under the gutter has allowed the wall to get wet and existing cracks have let the moisture enter. We have to fill the cracks and re render the external face of the wall, and our plumber David will repair the gutter and add the... missing flashing. Internally we have just stripped the damaged render form the wall to expose the bar brick wall beneath. We have coated it with a cementitious slurry waterproofing compound which spreads and engulfs any residual moisture in the wall and then hardens to create a very strong waterproof barrier. This separates any residual moisture in the brick work (damp walls take months to dry out) and a barrier is required otherwise the new wall coatings will deteriorate again. A dampcourse has also been injected into the double brick wall. Pictures from left show the internal damage, the removal of render and plaster to expose the naked bricks, coating of the brickwork with slurry and epoxy vapour barrier and finally the finished wall. See more
04.01.2022 We have just completed the rebuilding of two leaking shower recess in a beautiful holiday home in Sorrento. First we had to determine whether it was just the base that was leaking or the tiles on the walls as well. First we removed the floor tiles which were cracked and loose. The substrate was sound but had no waterpoofing membrane applied to it. Next we removed the existing glue residue and dried the substrate. The wall tiles were sound with no obvious areas where water wou...ld have entered the cavity walls behind the tiles (Often people will employ a company which will apply a surface sealant to tiles where the grout may be eroded and leaking and then claim to have repaired the shower recess. This is a negligent approach because it ignores the potential damage, mould and structural erosion that water will cause). Once the substrate was dry (we left our fans drying it over a weekend) we applied a membrane to the substrate (two coats) after sealing all penetrations, corners etc, then relaid tiles and sealed the stone tiles in the main shower. We warranty your waterproofing work for 15 years so we make sure we do it correctly each time. Pics from left - cracked tiles, drying the cleared substrate, covering entry to bathroom so we dont damage carpet, first coat of membrane ready for second coat and then tile relay. See more
03.01.2022 RENDER DAMAGE IN EXTERNAL GARAGE A garage with soil backing onto two of its external walls had issues with rising and horizontal damp. The solution was to chase out the joint between the concrete floor and the brick wall, seal it with a cementitious slurry waterproofing compound, injecting a dampcourse chemical barrier, coating the wall with epoxy vapour barrier (this creates a barrier between the existing moisture in the bricks and the new coating we were to apply shortly) and finally rendering and painting the walls. Around $3,500.
01.01.2022 FAULTY BALCONIES We are currently repairing balconies at two different locations - one in Doncaster and one in Balwyn - where the substrate in both instances has rotted due to a failure in the membrane. This has allowed water to seep under the tiles, damage the substrate particle board and even the floor joists and - in both instances - water has damaged the ceiling plaster in the room below the balcony. WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN AND IS IT COMMON? It is unfortunately very common. ...Continue reading
01.01.2022 SAME OLD, SAME OLD! A terrace house in Carlton has moisture issues on one wall of the dwelling. One look and I decided that there was a large gap between the floor and wall (very common in older brick dwellings) which was allowing moisture into the internal building envelope and was causing the damage to the wall - which was mainly discolouration and plaster damage. The way to distinguish between moisture from rising damp or moisture from a gap between wall and floor is gene...rally in the stability of the render. If the damage is more superficial and on the surface, the moisture will be coming from a gap between wall and floor. If the render is unstable, then the issue will be either penetrative damp (coming from outside through the bricks and compromising the render on the inside of the wall) or rising damp - namely moisture coming from the subfloor. Today we removed the skirting board and surprise, surprise, there was an enormous gap which had been hidden by the skirting board. Often people renovating will simply choose to hide the gap without dealing with it and they always regret it. In this instance the house is for sale and therefore the works are now very urgent. The process is always the same - seal the gap, inject a dampcourse (not because we think it needs one but just to safeguard against any future subfloor moisture issues) and apply an epoxy vapour barrier to the wall surface before replastering and painting. The dampcourse will guard against moisture wicking up through the masonry (brick) wall surface and damaging wall coatings and the epoxy vapour barrier guards against penetrative or horizontal damp coming through the wall via any poor mortar or cracking in the external wall surface. Neither the subfloor or the external wall are accessable so we are unable now or in the future to undertake repairs at the source of any moisture issues there. Pictures from left: the moisture damage evident on a small section of the wall; the huge gap left behind during the renovation and covered up by skirting board and beading; another picture of the enormous gap - big enough to dive into (almost).
01.01.2022 We often remediate schools and we have just completed damp remediation works on a school in Melbourne's south east. The problem here was that water was pouring into the subfloor of a relatively newly constructed gymnasium, built with a government grant during the gfc. Unfortunately the builders neglected to adequately drain the most exposed side of the building and neglected to dampproof the wall. As a result whenever it rained, water entered the subfloor, with mould growth a...nd condensation in the subfloor eventually affecting the timber basketball court floor inside the stadium. One of the main issues was the external concrete paving which was both higher than the internal floor level and butting right up to the brick wall of the building. Concrete is porous and if butted up directly onto a masonry surface, moisture will migrate from the concrete to the masonry wall. In addition to this, the wall surface was never waterproofed and there were several penetrations of the brickwork which simply let water flood into the subfloor. See more
