Damp & Waterproofing

30 articles

• Balcony Waterproofing: BS 6229, Falls & Drainage Guide
  Like a small flat roof; 1:80 finished/1:40 design fall; door threshold drainage channel resolves Part M vs upstand conflict; 150mm upstands; Part K guarding 1100mm/100mm sphere; balustrade fixings through membrane; thermal break
• Basement Tanking Systems: BS 8102 Waterproofing Guide
  Basement tanking: Type A (barrier), Type B (structural), Type C (cavity drain); BS 8102:2022 waterproofing grades
• Basement Waterproofing Systems
  BS 8102:2022: Type A barrier tanking, Type B structurally integral concrete, Type C drained cavity membrane + sump/pump; combine 2+ types for habitable; specialist design
• Basement Waterproofing: BS 8102 Types A, B & C Guide
  BS 8102:2022 Type A/B/C waterproofing systems, Grade 1–4 usage grades, cavity drain membranes, sump and pump sizing, CSSW qualification requirements
• Breathable Lime Render for Older Properties
  Lime render for pre-1919 solid walls; NHL 2/3.5/5 per BS EN 459-1; 1:2.5-1:3 with sharp sand; three coats (scratch/float/finish); vapour-permeable, prevents trapped damp
• Breathable Membranes in Construction: When & Where to Use
  Vapour permeable vs vapour barrier, Sd values, pitched roof and timber frame membrane use per BS 4016, fixing and lapping, condensation risk per BS EN ISO 13788
• Cavity Wall Tie Failure
  Cavity wall tie failure: mild steel ties (1920s-80s) corrode and expand; horizontal cracks at ~450mm centres; structural + damp bridge risk; borescope diagnosis; remedial ties
• Chimney Damp Causes: Rain, Condensation & Salt Diagnosis
  Chimney damp: distinguishing rain penetration, unused flue condensation, and hygroscopic salt contamination
• Condensation Problems: Causes, Prevention & Ventilation UK
  Condensation and mould: dew point, cold bridges, ventilation solutions (PIV, MVHR), thermal imaging diagnosis
• Condensation vs Leak vs Damp: Diagnosis Guide UK
  70-80% UK damp complaints are condensation, <5% true rising damp; diagnostic framework — surface temp vs dew point, salt test for rising, external inspection for penetrating; BS 5250:2021, BS 6576:2005+A1:2012; Awaab's Law / Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 landlord duty; tools £100 covers 80% of surveys
• Damp in Period Properties: Lime, Breathability and Why Modern Tanking Fails
  Damp in period/solid-wall properties: lime vs cement permeability, why cement render and internal tanking (BS 8102 Type A) trap moisture and accelerate decay, NHL lime grades (BS EN 459-1), Historic England/SPAB "breathing wall" principle, PAS 2035 moisture risk assessment for insulation retrofit
• Damp Proof Course Replacement: Chemical vs Physical DPC
  DPC replacement: chemical injection (silane/siloxane), electro-osmotic systems, physical DPC insertion, lime replastering
• Damp Proof Membrane Requirements: Floors & Walls Guide
  DPC vs DPM distinction, 1200 gauge polythene minimum, Approved Document C requirements, 150mm upstand, linking to wall DPC, radon membrane overlap
• Damp Survey Guide: Meter Readings & Diagnosis UK
  Damp surveying: moisture meter readings at multiple heights (>17% timber or >1,000 relative units = elevated), rising vs penetrating vs condensation diagnosis, source identification before scoping remediation
• How Is a Cavity Drainage Membrane System Installed?
  Cavity drain membrane installation (Newton 508, Platon, Oldroyd), floor-to-wall sequence, sump pump design, perimeter drainage channel, pressure ratings and guarantees
• How Is Wet Rot and Dry Rot Diagnosed and Treated?
  Serpula lacrymans (dry rot) vs Coniophora puteana (wet rot) identification, 600mm removal margin for dry rot, boron treatment, epoxy consolidant repairs, BS 8417
• Internal Wall Insulation and Damp Risk
  IWI damp risk: makes wall colder/wetter, reduces inward drying, interstitial condensation; fix damp first; vapour control system-specific; cold bridge junctions; ventilation; PAS 2035
• Maintaining DPC Continuity on Conversions and Extensions
• Mould Remediation UK: Kill, Remove & Prevent Guide
  Mould remediation: identify cause, kill with biocide, remove, prevent with ventilation and PIV — Awaab's Law obligations
• Mould Treatment and Prevention
  Mould = excess moisture symptom; fungicidal wash + fix the source (Part F ventilation, Part L cold-bridge insulation); Awaab's Law / HHSRS landlord duties
• Parapet Wall Damp: Flashing & DPC Failures Diagnosis
  Coping joints/DPC + lead flashing + cavity tray failures; inspect coping FIRST (water tracks down); worse-after-rain high-on-wall = penetrating; LSTA lead piece-length limits; EPDM alternatives; BS 6229 150mm upstand
• Penetrating Damp: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment Guide
  Penetrating damp sources (pointing, flashings, flat roofs), diagnosis methods (moisture meter, thermal imaging, salt testing), remedies by source, distinguishing from rising damp
• Penetrating Damp: Diagnosis & Remediation Guide UK
  Penetrating damp diagnosis: external defect identification first, moisture meter mapping, calcium carbide and gravimetric sample testing, PCA CoP, BS 5250:2021; remediation hierarchy (source → dry → finish); 25–30mm/month drying rates; salt management with renovation render
• Rising Damp vs Penetrating Damp
  Rising damp (upward, <1-1.5m, tide mark, DPC failure/bridge) vs penetrating damp (inward, any height, external defect); diagnose by elimination; meters read salts; rule out condensation
• Rising Damp vs Penetrating Damp: Diagnosis & Fixes UK
  Rising vs penetrating damp diagnosis: salt tide marks, hygroscopic salts, chemical DPC injection, cement render replacement
• Salt Damp Diagnosis: Cryptofluorescence & Testing Guide
  Hygroscopic salt mechanisms, chloride/nitrate/sulphate identification, moisture meter limitations with salts, poultice treatment, sacrificial plaster approach for heritage buildings
• Warm Roof vs Cold Roof: BS 6229:2018 Specification Guide
• What Causes Damp in Flat Roofs and How Is It Fixed?
  Flat roof damp sources: minimum falls (1:80), felt failure modes (blistering, cracking), EPDM vs GRP vs liquid systems, thermal imaging for wet decks, BS 6229
• What Is Interstitial Condensation and How Is It Prevented?
  Glaser method, BS EN ISO 13788, vapour control layer positioning, flat roof and IWI condensation risk scenarios, WUFI dynamic hygrothermal calculation
• Why Is My Render Cracking? Diagnosis and Repair
  ASCII decision-tree diagnosis for render cracking — hairline shrinkage vs structural movement vs bead/joint failure, with BS EN 13914-1 repair guidance