Damp proofing

Damp can come in multiple forms and is one of the most common problems to affect homes in Ireland – around 1 in 5 properties suffer from damp issues.  Left untreated it can cause unsightly mold to grow that affects the health of residents, and it can also lead to damage to wooden fixtures such as doors and window frames as well as causing plaster on your walls to crack and flake.

If you have a damp problem in your home – even if it just a tiny lingering wet patch on a ceiling or window it is a good idea to get it checked out to prevent the problem getting worse.  A small damp area can quickly develop into a large patch of mold and attract dust mites which in turn can trigger asthma and other allergies.  Untreated, damp will be depressing to look at, but it can cause serious health issues.

There are three different causes of damp which need to be treated differently.

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Penetrating Damp

As its name suggests, penetrating damp is caused when water penetrates your home through walls, ceilings, or floors from outdoors.  This may be caused by faulty joints in window frames, defective guttering, and broken roofing tiles,

Penetrating damp can develop quickly if a gutter or roof tile breaks, and you will often find it worse during wet weather.  You will need usually need to speak to a specialist who can remedy the problem by repairing the issue in your home, but you will also need to take action to treat any effects of the damp such as mold.

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Rising Damp

Rising damp is caused by moisture rising through your walls due to capillary action in the bricks and cement that make up your external walls.  It is often found in older homes where there is no damp course installed in the walls, but it can also occur in floors.  You can usually identify rising damp due to it only appearing in the lower parts of your walls – gravity prevents it rising more than about 4 feet above ground level.

Walls affected by rising damp will often have problems with peeling wallpaper and crumbling plaster or rotting skirting boards.  The areas of walls will usually have a clear tide mark at the height that the damp has affected and will often contain mold.

You will need to consult with an expert to deal with rising damp http://aaa.swordswebdesign.com/– it often requires specialist work to be carried out on your home to address the issues and apply preventative measures.  It is not a DIY project.

Condensation Damp

Damp due by condensation is different to the other types as it is due to moisture from inside rather than outside your home.

Cooking, cleaning, and appliances such as kettles and washing machines all release moisture into the air and increase the humidity around your home.  When warm, humid air encounters colder surfaces such as windows or exterior walls, the moisture is released and forms condensation patches.

If these are left to stand for long periods, the surface water can soak into the fabric of the wall or ceiling and create an environment that is attractive to mould and dust mites.  You may find patches of black mould or mildew in areas of the home where there is poor airflow – such as behind wardrobes that are positioned against external walls.

Mould caused by condensation is a serious issue for your health and your home and needs to be addressed quickly.  Improving airflow through the house by installing automatic humidity tracking unitsi n your kitchen and bathrooms draws moist air out of your property which prevents the condensation from forming.

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dry rot treatment

Why Dry Rot Treatment Should Be Done Immediately

One of the worst things that can happen to your home is to have dry rot. Dry rot destroys wood and makes it extremely brittle. As such, if any part of your home is affected by dry rot, this part can become highly unstable and dangerous.

What Is Dry Rot?

To better understand dry rot, it is important to know what it is and how it occurs. Dry rot is a wood destroying fungus (Serpula lacryman). The fungus eats and digests the cellulose component of the wood and leaves it in a dry, weak and brittle state.

Dry rot is caused by dampness occurring simultaneously with the absence of ventilation. These are the ideal conditions for the fungus to grow and eventually result in a fungal attack.

While it is called dry rot, the fungus requires moisture to thrive. However, it demands much less moisture as compared to a wet rot.

Why Is Dry Rot Harmful?

Dry rot is quite dangerous as it can spread quickly and affect multiple parts of a structure or a house. The most common target of dry rot is wood. It is one of the primary causes of severe wood decay.

This does not mean though that dry rot only grows on wooden structures or surfaces. Given the ideal conditions where this fungus thrives, it can also exist on brickwork and masonry. Hence, dry rot can cause structural damage to the parts of the house with brickwork and masonry. In addition, it may also affect other materials like fabric and carpet if they are in the area affected by dampness.

While dry rot itself doesn’t cause health problems, the conditions that make dry rot possible like the dampness of the structure means that there is most likely the presence of mould as well. Mould growth is definitely a health hazard.

Perhaps, the structural decay caused by dry rot is its most harmful effect. This is because it poses as a huge safety risk to everyone living or occupying the affected structure.

Simply put, dry rot issues must be addressed immediately to avoid health problems and costly damages to your property.

How Do You Detect Dry Rot?

To know if your house has this type of fungus, you need to seek the help of people specialising in dry rot treatment. Often, properties which are old have high probability of having dry rot.

Determining if dry rot is present can be difficult if you are not an expert. For one, distinguishing which part of the house is affected can be impossible to do if you have no training or prior experience in this kind of task. This is because a part with dry rot may sometimes look the same as unaffected wood. In this case, some experts may recommend lab testing of the suspected affected material to detect the presence of dry rot. In its more advanced state, the fungus is easy to spot because you would see brown spore dust on the affected wood.

How to Treat, Control and Solve Dry Rot

Effectively treating dry rot entails getting rid of the damp problem. Currently, a plethora of products is available in the market for treating damp and all the issues that come with it including dry rot. Furthermore, there are multiple techniques employed to address the problem like waterproofing, re-plastering or increasing ventilation. Meanwhile, affected wooden structures in the house may need to be replaced to prevent dry rot from spreading and causing further damage to the house.

It is important to note that this task should only be done by experts to ensure that the root cause of the problem is eliminated. Furthermore, addressing the issue on your own can make the situation worse and further weaken the structural integrity of the affected building or house.

Need dry rot treatment? Let professionals do the job for lasting results. Call us today at 0867907555!

 

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woodworm treatment dublin kildare

Why Get Professional Woodworm Treatment

To understand the importance of getting professional woodworm treatment, you first need to have an idea of what woodworms are and the damage they can do to your property.

So, what are woodworms? Some people mistakenly think that these creatures are worms, but they are not. They are actually beetles! To be more specific, they are the larvae of beetles that bore in wood.

Spotting woodworms can be difficult, if not impossible, since they are small. More importantly, they stay hidden, spending most of their time inside holes as they eat the wood. They stay within these burrows until they turn into full-grown beetles. Mature beetles emerge out of the timbre to breed, often leaving behind large holes.

In terms of appearance, these creatures have curved, creamy white bodies. Meanwhile, the physical characteristics of the beetles vary depending on their species. Records show that there are over 400,000 beetle species worldwide.

In Ireland, there are different types of wood-boring beetles. According to reports, the most common species of woodworm in Ireland is the Common Furniture Beetle. Do not be deceived by this beetle species’ name as it does not only infest wooden furniture. They can attack the timbre on any structure, from the joists to the floorboards. In fact, the Common Furniture Beetle is the culprit behind most wood damages in buildings.

Another popular type of wood-boring beetle is the House Longhorn Beetle. These beetles are prevalent south of Ireland. House longhorn beetles inflict the most damage amongst all wood-boring insects. This is mainly because of their large larvae which can eat up the entire sapwood as they grow.

What’s the problem with woodworms?

As mentioned above, these creatures can damage wood. When timbre in a building becomes infested with woodworms, it can become weak. Consequently, this can compromise the structural integrity of the building.

Simply put:

Woodworm infestation can wreak havoc on your property. When not addressed immediately, it can lead to the destruction of your house and endanger the lives of your loved ones.

So, if you suspect infestation, do not delay treating the woodworm. Call a professional right away so that an inspection can be done and treatment can begin ASAP!

Why Entrust Woodworm Treatment to Professionals

Please do not attempt to treat woodworm infestations on your own. Yes, there is currently a wealth of information on the Internet including how to treat woodworm. However, this task is not meant for amateurs.

Successful woodworm treatment demands expertise. For one, before the problem can be eliminated, the beetle species must be identified first. This is not an easy task since to the untrained eye these creatures can look the same.

Furthermore, knowledge about the species, particularly the tell-tale signs of their infestation, is necessary. Sure, you can acquire this information online, but simply reading and memorising these details won’t be enough. You need actual experience to accurately identify the species. Doing this for the first time can be confusing, even with a guide on hand. Hence, it is highly likely for you to commit an error.

Aside from determining what type of wood-boring beetle is causing the problem, you also need to find out if the infestation is active or not. In addition, if an infestation exists, you have to assess the extent of the problem. Again, these tasks demand knowledge and experience that you won’t acquire overnight.

So, don’t stress yourself and risk your property. Instead of the DIY route, get professional woodworm treatment.

Here’s the deal:

Woodworm treatment specialists have the know-how, skills and experience needed to effectively eliminate all kinds of wood-boring beetle infestation problem. Plus, they have the equipment necessary for them to identify and eliminate woodworm issues your property may have.

Suffice it to say, when the treatment is carried out by professionals, you are guaranteed effective and long-lasting solution to your woodworm problem. Be it a widespread infestation or the type wherein notorious species are involved, you can count on these professionals to get the job done right the first time.

In need of professional woodworm treatment? Let our experienced and trained woodworm treatment specialists do the job. Call us now at 0867907555!

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