Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp in a wall is usually from a source such as wind driven rain, causing moisture to enter the structure in a horizontal direction. Gravity may cause the downward movement of the resultant dampness.

Causes of penetrating damp may be from sources difficult to control such as defective brickwork, cracked render, faulty pointing, poor flashings, rainwater goods or the cause may emanate from a defect within an adjacent property outside the owner’s control.

Penetrating damp has been proven to be responsible for a high percentage of dry rot attacks caused in buildings.

Penetrating damp can create isolated patches of dampness that increase in size after periods of heavy rain and tend to disappear in long dry spells of weather.

Laterally penetrating damp is a term applied to moisture, which travels horizontally from a source bridging the installed damp course such as high external ground level, flower beds, abutting garden walls, paths and pavements or earth retaining walls of basements etc. Where possible the source of the moisture can be controlled by protecting the exterior walls with re-pointing, rendering or the application of an invisible silicon water repellent.