Whilst out on a Woodworm and damp job at a big posh manor house in the country the owners wife asked if I wanted a cheese sarnie for lunch.
But have a look at the posh nosh that arrived! Pure quality and typical of country hospitality.
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Damp Causes...
Causes of damp-Leaks
Leaks are often be a major cause of damp within a home leading to issues such as penetrating damp and wet rot. Most of the time, the result of a leak will be localised to one area of a wall. If you notice localised damp patches, check the following:
Examine downpipes and guttering near to the affected area.
Causes of damp–rising damp
If you are on the ground floor and the damp seems to be at the bottom of walls, it could be that the cause of damp is the result of your damp proof course being bridged resulting in rising damp. This could be because of an increase of ground levels around the affected damp area or that your damp proof course has failed. If it is the case whereby the damp proof course has been bridged, consider if there are any external features installed within the affected area such as a flowerbed or new patio. Could there be an excess amount of soil against the wall from some recent gardening that has
bridged the damp proof course? By simply lowering the ground level or removing any of these features and leaving the area to dry out, you could solve your rising damp issue.
If it is the case the damp proof course has not been bridged, then it could be the possibility that your damp proof course has failed meaning that you will need to consider repairing it. In this instance, we would always recommend you contact Dovedale Dampcure Services Ltd to fully evaluate the extent of the damp issue.
Causes of damp – condensation
It is not always the case whereby the cause of damp originates from the outside. One of the most common causes of damp within homes is due to condensation. Condensation occurs when large quantities of water vapour from general everyday living becomes trapped within a property.
When the warm moist damp air comes into contact with cooler air, or a surface, which is at a lower temperature, the result is condensation, this can prove ideal for the germination of the commonly associated black spot mould. The key to solving condensation however is ventilation. By simply improving the air ventilation within a property, you will generally have an impact on the amount of condensation and mould issues that you are having within a property. To find out more, call us to arrange a free damp survey.
Slugs in the House??!!
By the way, for your info
Slugs from different families are fungivores. That means they eat dry rot fungus!! It is the case in the Philomycidae (e. g. Philomycus carolinianus and Phylomicus flexuolaris) and Ariolimacidae (Ariolimax californianus), which respectively feed on slime molds (myxomycetes) and mushrooms (basidiomycetes).
This photo was taken on a wall under the floor in a home in Hull which was suffering from dry rot infestation. A family of slugs was found there.
Dry Rot - The Life Cycle
Dry Rot - The Life Cycle
This photo shows some of the spores produced by a dry rot fruiting body ready to 'infect' another part of the building.
The life-cycle of dry rot can be broken down into four main stages. Dry rot begins as a microscopic spore which, in high enough concentrations, can resemble a fine orange dust. If the spores are subjected to sufficient moisture they will begin to grow fine white strands known as hyphae. As the hyphae germinate they will eventually form a large mass known as mycelium. The final stage is a fruiting body which pumps new spores out into the surrounding air.
Take a look at the photos to the left to see the four stages of the dry rot life cycle.
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