Moisture Intrusion and Your Home
Owning a property can have a major impact on your financial well-being, so it is vital to look past the cosmetics of the property and get down to the integrity of the components that make up the property. On the surface, a home could be stunning, but there might be underlying issues that, if overlooked, could cost you a lot to repair. Moisture intrusion in your home can be one of the most destructive and expensive problems.
Unfortunately, water doesn’t always just drip straight down. It will “run” along horizontal surfaces and can often cause lots of damage in places you wouldn’t expect. Common places to find moisture intrusion in your home is often under hardwood floors, walls, tiled surfaces, etc., all of which will need to be pulled out, replaced and then refinished if not caught early.
How does moisture find its way into your property? Major causes of dampness are:
1. Roof Leaks: A damaged or leaky roof will cause damp issues inside the home.
Figure 1: Water Stains on Wooden Structure
Figure 2: Broken Roof Tile
Figure 3: Severe Moisture in the Roof Cavity
2. Water Penetration of masonry through the tops of parapet walls, windowsills, and gaps around windows and doors.
Replacing just one wooden window frame can cost you more than R5000.00 per frame.
Figure 4: Moisture Intrusion through Cracked Masonry
Figure 5: Rotten Wood Window Frame
3. Leaking Plumbing can cause wood rot and mould growth in the house.
Figure 6: Poor Plumbing Repair
Figure 7: Mold in the kitchen cupboard
4. Poorly installed, failed, or lack damp-proof courses.
Figure 8: Lack of damp proof course
5. Rainwater damage in your house.
Water can penetrate the structure through the roof covering that has failed or in the absence of gutters and downpipes, causing water damage in your home.
Figure 9: Broken Roof Tiles
Figure 10: Failed Roof Coverings
a. Badly maintained or failed roof covering allows for rainwater to enter the roof cavity.
b. Rainwater runs off the roof, down walls, and enters through weak plaster or badly jointed bricks.
c. The earth grade or paving around the structure should slope away from the building to allow for adequate water run-off and to avoid water pooling around the structure.
6. Waterlogged areas could cause penetrating dampness as well as compromise the foundation of the structure if it persists.
Figure 11: Water Ponding
7. Lateral Dampness is caused by the ground level being higher on the outside of the wall.
This allows the moisture from the soil on the opposite side of the wall to penetrate through the wall causing damage to the internal wall. The most common cause of penetrating dampness is the incorrect installation, deterioration, or omission of the vertical damp course.
Figure 12: Lateral Damp
8. Signs of Penetrating Lateral Damp in your house:
Penetrating damp, otherwise known as lateral damp, is the development of moisture through the walls and roof of a building. If left untreated it can cause problems for the structure and significant damage to the fabric of your home.
a. Flaking Paint.
Figure 13: Flaking Paint
b. Efflorescent (salting) is present on the surface.
Figure 14: Efflorescent
9. Rising Damp in your house
Rising damp is the condition where moisture from the ground travels up through the pores in the bricks and mortar of a building, once rising damp has become established, this moisture can cause problems such as damp patches on walls, peeling paint, and eventually, plaster falling away from the wall. Over time it will lead to structural damage to the building if left unchecked. The symptoms of rising damp can often be confused with the symptoms of other damp problems such as lateral damp and condensation.
Figure 15: Rising Damp
10. Condensation
a. Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there’s too much humidity in your home. When this moisture-packed warm air comes into contact with a chilly surface, it cools down quickly and releases the water, which turns into liquid droplets on the cold surface.
Figure 16: Condensation
b. Hot air carries more moisture than cold air. If this moisture is left unattended it will eventually affect paintwork and ceilings. Dampness also encourages the growth of mold spores that thrive in these moist conditions.
Figure 17: Mold infestation
11. Easy ways to reduce condensation in your house:
a. Keep your home ventilated.
b. Keep the lid on the saucepans while cooking.
c. Drying clothes outside if possible.
d. Wiping down the bath, shower, and tiles after use.
e. Install extractor fans in bathrooms