Damp Surveys

Independent Damp Survey & Report Call: 0800 246 5668 or Contact Us HERE

Damp Surveys what are they?

Damp surveys are specialist surveys, where an independent damp surveyor will inspect a property for signs of suspected dampness and timber decay. There are four main types of damp that can occur in a property which are condensation, penetrating damp, rising damp & damp caused by plumbing leaks. The damp proofing surveyor will be able to distinguish between these damp issues and also identify if the damp has resulted in any timber decay caused by dry rot or wet rot.

Damp surveyors providing cost-effective independent damp surveys for all types of properties, such as commercial buildings and residential houses & flats. Adept UK damp proofing surveyors are “Certificated Surveyors of Timber & Dampness in Buildings” CSRT (Certificated Surveyors in Remedial Treatment) qualifications  recognised by the Property Care Association (P.C.A.) and other professionals in the building preservation industry. This ensures that the highest standards are being met.

Damp Surveys from Adept UK Damp & Decay.

• Damp surveyors will investigate the damp problems in your property and identify the type of dampness & timber decay that are affecting any walls or floors in the property.
• The cause will be determined by locating the source of moisture.
• Depending on the type of dampness, the damp course (DPC) will be inspected to ensure it is not broken or bridged by high external ground levels and driveways.
• Damp proofing surveyors will inspect the building’s structure and establish if any dampness has resulted in dry rot or wet rot. Damp timber can also attract wood boring insects (woodworm) which our surveyor will be able to correctly diagnose and identify.
• Following damp surveys, damp proofing specialist surveyors will provide a detailed written report with a proposed chemical free treatment plan specifically targeted to your property.

Damp Report What Goes into one?

A damp report will detail all the findings of the survey and highlight the causes of the damp problem. The causes of damp vary depending on the type of damp present in your property. Condensation is caused from excess moisture or a ventilation issue. Ineffective damp proofing causes rising damp where a damp course is broken or has been bridged.

This is common in old buildings where a broken damp proof course allows moisture to enter the ground level of a property. Penetrating damp is caused from a property defect that results in water ingress from the external walls into your property. On completion of our damp surveys, a comprehensive damp and timber report will be sent to you via email.

Depending on the type of damp problems in your property, the damp proofing surveyor will put together a proposed damp treatment plan. The damp treatment plan will cover all damp remedial work required to be done and including indicative costs for any recommended damp proofing damp & timber  repairs.

Damp Surveys how much do they cost?

It is difficult to estimate the cost for a damp survey as the cost varies due to a number of factors such as the size of the property and its location. However, if you call us on the above number or fill in our survey enquiry form, you will receive a quote for the survey prior to payment.

Once a damp survey has been completed, the cost of works will be determined by the scale of treatment required. This is because the costs of treating ineffective damp proofing will vary from the cost of fixing damp & timber decay issues.

Damp Survey do I really need one?

Depending on the type of issue, it is possible that you may not need a damp survey and can try some other methods instead. For example, a condensation or mould issue may be treated by improving the ventilation in the wet rooms in your home. Reducing the amount of excess moisture caused by everyday living can help reduce the likelihood of black mould. However, if you are unsure about what you are looking for, we would recommend consulting an independent damp surveyor such as us about organising a survey.

Qualified damp surveyors can offer professional advice and damp control solutions whereas someone inexperienced can easily misdiagnose your damp problem. If you have a condensation issue that you cannot fix yourself, or issues with damp proofing, woodworm or structural issues, we would recommend you speak to a damp surveyor for your own peace of mind.

Diagnosing Damp

Building valuation Surveyors, when carrying out damp and timber inspections for Building Societies or mortgage companies, will check for dampness using an electrical conductance moisture meter most commonly manufactured by “Protimeter”.

Electrical moisture meters can only be used to accurately assess the level of moisture in timber as this is the primary task they were designed for. When used in other materials it can only record the presence of surface moisture and is unable to determine the true moisture content existing below the surface, i.e., within the wall. High readings (often mis-diagnosed as dampness) can also be obtained from plasters containing black ask mortar and also foil-backed wallpaper so the you should be wary of any surveyor or damp-proofing company relying solely on the use of moisture meters.

Chartered Surveyors are therefore only able to detect surface moisture, and will often report: “there is evidence of rising dampness and remedial damp-proofing work in this respect is required”. Alternatively: “you need to instruct a damp proofing and timber treatment contractor to carry out a full investigation to investigate the full extent of the problem and the necessary repairs required, together with an estimate for any damp proofing and timber treatments.”

The purchaser may then proceed to commission specialist remedial damp proofing contractors offering a ‘free damp and timber survey’’ found on Google or perhaps recommended by the Estate Agent to inspect and provide a report and estimate.

If you are a house-owner and invite a damp-proofing company to inspect your home for dampness problems, the damp surveyor will inevitably confirm that confirm that you do have a damp problem which can be cured with a new chemical damp-proof course.

Damp proofing companies and surveyors, often members of the Property Care Association (PCA), also use electrical moisture meters and they are likely to solemnly declare the presence of rising damp in a report which usually states : “Random tests were carried out with a moisture meter to both internal and external wall at ground level. At the time of our inspection, high levels of dampness were obtained in the following areas… It is our opinion that these high levels of dampness found at the base of the aforementioned walls are attributed to rising dampness due to the absence of an effective damp proof course’.

The Property Care  Association has published two leaflets with very similar titles. On is entitled ‘The use of moisture meters to establish the presence of rising damp’ and the other ‘Establishing the Presence of Rising Damp’ and both state that “moisture meters do not provide a percentage reading of the moisture content since readings may vary from material to material” and that “the electrical method does not give a direct reading of moisture content” but despite this guidance and proof that moisture meters are not calibrated for use on plaster most PCA damp proofing companies still rely solely on the use of moisture meters to diagnose rising damp.

These damp proofing companies then recommend the installation of an injected chemical damp proof course and associated internal re-plastering. This work causes a fair amount of mess internally as it involves chopping off plaster, removing skirting boards, re-plastering and also injecting a damp-proof course into the walls. After this the householder has to wait up to a year to allow the walls to dry before any redecorating can take place.

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