The Different Types of Damp in a House

Damp is a major threat to all homes. Having any kind of damp issues in a home can cause many health problems, particularly for those with asthma and other breathing conditions. It is also unsightly and generally unpleasant to have around the house. Thankfully, there are experts available who can eliminate all types of damp.

And that’s what you need to know about. There are so many different types of damp, and each type is slightly different from the other, requiring an alternate course of treatment.

In this article, we are going to discuss the various kinds of damp.

Rising Damp

Rising damp is quite rare. If it does appear, you will only see it in the basement or ground floor rooms. This reason is that rising damp occurs when moisture comes up from the ground. Some ofthe signs you will notice are:

• Rotting skirting boards
• White crystals on solid floors
• Plaster beginning to bubble horizontally.

This is mostly found in homes that have had floors converted to concrete.

Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp comes from the rain or moist ground touching the exterior of a home. It is caused because moisture entering the home has no means of escape. Sometimes it can occur just by moisture levels that are too high within the home.

It is most often characterised by:

• A powdery surface on plaster walls
• Patches of mould have a brown stain around them
• Can be found as often on the ceiling as it can on floors.

What is most interesting is that in olden times, penetrating damp was purposely encouraged. By creating penetrating damp in cellars, it offered a cold store to stop rising damp coming up to the main house.

Black Mould

While the above types of damp are not too harmful to human health, black mould is different. Black mould releases spores that can be breathed in by humans. This can create a burning in the back of the throat while long-term exposure can cause neurological problems. In short, black mould is an issue you cannot afford to ignore.

How can you find black mould?

• Follow your senses. If you can smell something musty, like the wet ground of a forest floor, this is black mould.
• Dark rings on the walls.
• Black mould is greenish-black, but it can also be grey and resembling soot.

You have to be careful when trying to diagnose black mouldas many professionals use the terms interchangeably. Just because something is toxic does not make it black mould. Likewise, just because something is black does not make it toxic.

If you have black mould growing in your home, you need to have it removed as soon as possible.

How are these Types of Mould Caused?

All types of mould need three things to survive. These are:

1. Food. Mould feeds on material such as cotton, lumber, and cardboard asthese contain high levels of cellulose.
2. Water. Areas with substantial amounts of moisture are candidates for mould growth – bathrooms, kitchens, etc.
3. Temperature range of between 5oC and 38oC.

Each type of mould requires slightly different conditions. Generally, those households in humid environments are most at risk. If you have recently been impacted by flooding or heavy weather, you will have a bigger risk as well.

Should You Call in an Expert?

There is always the option of taking care of the problem yourself. Go online and you will find any number of guides for dealing with mould. We wouldn’t recommend attempting it, though. Unless you are an expert, the chances are you’re only going to make the problem worse.

Contrary to popular belief, throwing gypsum over the walls is not going to solve your mould problem. It will always address the symptoms, but it doesn’t take into account the cause. You need an expert to diagnose the type of mould and then to address it.

Conclusion

Mould can cause a real problem for any homeowner. But if you call in an expert as soon as you notice signs of mould, you can stop it in its tracks. Some homes are more susceptible than others are. If you live in an area that is more susceptible to mould, be vigilant and know when to request the help of a professional.

Author bio: Kingfisher, in UK, is a professional manufacturer and Suppliers of Building Products like anti mould, anti mould paint, roof coatings and textured masonry paint at very reasonable rates.

5 Ways to Add Value to Your House

Adding value to your home is not as difficult as might first appear. If you are determined to add value, this article will hopefully show you the way.

Let’s take a look at the five best ways, in our opinion, to add value to your home.

1. An Extension

This is the ultimate way to boost value because, in some cases, you can substantially increase the living space of your home. Although it is one of the most expensive ways to improve the value of your home, it also gives you the most back; so it’s a trade-off of sorts.

The difficulty with extensions is financing the project. It may be a case of sourcing some outside funding to get this project off the ground.

Take note that extensions that drastically reduce garden space have to be carefully considered. A large house with no garden is not always better than a modest house with a modest garden.

You also need to consider the fact that some extensions may require planning permission. Check with the local authorities to ensure you are not falling foul of any regulations. If you go ahead without checking, you could be forced to pull the whole structure down if found to be in breach of the rules.

2. A Conservatory

Conservatories are always popular because these add a room to the home that any owner can enjoy for years to come. As detailed above, the major downside is that it takes up garden space. Homes with already-small gardens may decide against this option.

3. Add a Bathroom

Bathrooms are immensely popular right now due to the demand for en-suites. A new bathroom can cost anywhere from £2,000 to £6,000, depending on the various fittings and tiles you decide on. An en-suite bathroom, even if it reduces the size of a bedroom, can add up to 6% to the total value of a home.

4. Central Heating

Central heating is something many of us take for granted today. However, there are still homes with no, or antiquated, central heating systems. Today’s systems are cost-effective in terms of fuel efficiency and environmental impact.

In terms of a housing improvement, it will cost about £3,000-£4,000 to install a new system, but it can add a massive 5% to the value of a home. It practically guarantees a return on investment.


5. Sprucing Up

While the above suggestions are quite significant and require a tremendous amount of input in terms of time and finance, for those with perhaps no access to funding, a simple facelift could add thousands to the value of a home.

Here are some of our recommendations:

• Masonry paint. The outside of your home is that which catches the eye immediately. Make it look fabulous and you are more likely to get the price you want.
• Replace kitchen countertops.
• Buy new soft furnishings.
• Redecorate the walls.
• Clean up the garden.

In terms of tangible benefit, the above do not really change much of anything. They simply go toward making it more likely that you’re asking price will be accepted.

Bear in mind that selling your home and getting a good price is about appealing to the emotions of the potential buyer.

Working out Financing

Any home improvement relies on getting your finances in order first. For larger projects, you may have to approach a bank and obtain a home improvement loan. If you have a good credit record, this should be relatively easy.

We recommend using your own money when possible. This way you can avoid interest charges, and you will not need to wait for approval, etc. Also, you do not have to worry about making any repayments.

Conclusion

Adding value to your home isn’t rocket science. It is about working out what people are looking for at that particular time and then implementing it. If there’s a trend where people want big gardens, for example, you wouldn’t add an outward extension.

At the end of the day, as long as you do your due diligence before getting started, you will always find a good way to add value to your home.


Author bio: Kingfisher, in UK, is a professional manufacturer and Suppliers of Building Products like anti mould paint, block paving sealant, roof coatings, roofing paint, paving sealer and sealing block paving at very reasonable rates.