| Woodworm | Wall Tie failure |
| Dry Rot | Condensation |
| Rising Damp | Subsidence and cracking |
| Wet Rot | Lintel failure |
Dry RotCauses
The term 'Woodworm' is used generally to describe wood boring insect attack, the most common form being Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum). Long standing infestations can cause severe structural damage, and it is estimated that three quarters of older properties are affected.
Symptoms
The characteristic woodworm holes are exit holes made by the emerging adult beetles.
Treatment
Text in preparation
Rising DampCauses
Dry Rot (Serpula lacrymans) is by far the most serious and damaging of wood rotting fungi and is caused by damp conditions and lack of adequate ventilation. This fungus has the ability to travel through brickwork and plaster in search of further sources of moisture and causes millions of pounds worth of damage to properties annually.
Symptoms
Look out for fungal strands along the timber and through or along any walls. These strands can become quite dense forming a mass like cotton wool. The final part of the fungal life cycle is the formation of a large mushroom like fungus that produces millions of new air-borne spores aiding rapid distribution. It is quite common to find that substantial damage has been caused before the outbreak is noticed. There is often an accompanying distinctive dry musty smell.
Treatment
Text in preparation
Wet RotCauses
Rising Damp is normally found in older properties where the lack of any efficient damp proof course allows moisture from the ground to rise up through the brickwork by capillary action. Most damp proof courses have a limited life, 30-50 years being the norm.
Symptoms
The visible signs of rising damp include discolouration and staining above skirting level, rotted skirtings, and contaminated wall plaster.
Treatment
The only satisfactory solution is to remove all contaminated plaster. Install a new damp course and carry out specialist replastering. Silicone damp courses have stood the test of time and are totally efficient.
Wall Tie failureCauses
Wet Rot (Coniophora puteana) is a less serious and damaging problem than dry rot.
Symptoms
The effect of Wet Rot fungi can look very similar to that of Dry Rot and it is therefore vital to choose a specialist company that employs surveyors who know the difference and will give you an honest and unbiased diagnosis.
Treatment
Text in preparation
CondensationCauses
The exterior walls of most twentieth and twenty first century buildings consist of two parallel leaves of brick or block work approximately 50mm apart. Metal wall ties hold these wall leaves together. Metal wall ties were initially made of either wrought iron or mild steel without any rust protection and it was not until later that galvanised steel tiles became the norm. Even then, the quality of galvanising was extremely variable and thus, in houses built before World War 2, it is quite common to find that the wall ties have corroded.
Symptoms
Wall Tie failure can produce a variety of symptoms depending on the type of tie, mortar, brickwork etc. Look for regular horizontal cracking, increasing towards the top of the building at every 4 or 5 courses.
Treatment
In most instances, wall tie inspections can be carried out by Insitu SCP staff with a minimum of disruption and, where necessary, new stainless steel wall ties can quickly be inserted in place of the corroded ones.
Subsidence and crackingCauses
Condensation is an increasing problem in modern buildings and is the product of moist air turning into liquid water when it comes into contact with cold surfaces.
Symptoms
Condensation is invariably accompanied by unsightly black spot formations and, if left unchecked, can damage decorations, furniture and clothing. It can cause health problems, particularly to people suffering from Asthma and other respiratory problems.
Treatment
Insitu SCP markets a number of ventilating systems that can control condensation and improve living and working conditions.
Lintel failureCauses
Subsidence can be caused by: certain soils (clay soils are particularly vulnerable to subsidence since they shrink and swell depending on their moisture content), trees and shrubs taking moisture from soils causing them to shrink, leaking drains, which can soften or wash away the ground beneath the foundations and, less commonly, where properties are built over, or close to, mine workings.
Symptoms
The first obvious sign of subsidence is the appearance of cracks. These will normally be small diagonal cracks, about the thickness of a 10p coin, which appear suddenly in plasterwork and outside brickwork. Doors and windows may also start to stick due to the distortion of the building.
Most buildings experience some minor cracking at one point or another due to changes in temperature and humidity. Most minor cracks are nothing to worry about.
Treatment
Bars, ground screws and flexible grout are used to restore the structural integrity of the wall. These devices distribute the forces evenly along the wall reducing the possibility of mirror cracking later on.
Causes
Failure of a lintel will be due to either decay, fracture or loss of support to the supporting abutments allowing the arch to spread or drop.
Symptoms
Look for misplaced arch segments, sagging courses above the arch and cracks in the abutments.
Treatment
A combination of a beam and grout ties can be used to effect a non-visible repair.
Useful downloads on common problems and their controls are available at:
Rising damp:
http://www.safeguardchem.com/Downloads/Files/DZRisingDamp.pdf
Dry rot:
http://www.safeguardchem.com/Downloads/Files/dryrot.pdf
Guide to making basements dry:
http://www.safeguardchem.com/Downloads/Files/DryBasement.pdf
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