The Secret Signs That Help You Detect Damp In Your Home

Damp in your home is more than inconvenient. It can create mould which, aside from making your clothes, linen and even hair smell, it can have serious health ramifications. Especially for those who struggle with respiratory conditions and allergies.

Mould damage can spread with ease, becoming an unrelenting burden for everyone it demands share their home with it.

The sooner you detect damp in your home, the easier it is to evict. Then you can reclaim your comfortable, dry sanctuary. And, with treatment and careful management using ventilation, heat, damp proofing and maintenance, you’ll be able to keep it that way.

However, short of having a watery stain appear on your wall, what other hidden signs should you look out for that will tell you if something’s amiss?

Tell-tale signs to help you detect damp

1. Normally the smell is the first thing you’ll notice but will often ignore. It’s easy to put the smell of damp down to blocked waste pipes but if you notice a damp smell, it’s worth investigating further.
2. Rotten wood or mouldy sealant around window casings and on window sills is a sign that condensation is causing excess moisture around your windows. You may be able to get rid of any damp issue if you catch it in the early stages by opening your window, or leaving it open a crack during the day to get some air circulating around the area.
3. Rusted nails and screws used to fix skirting is another give away that your property is affected by rising damp.
4. From outside of the property you may be able to see salt patches on the building where damp is an issue.
5. Mortar crumbling away on the outside of the property is another sure sign that there’s a problem afoot.
6. In extreme cases, you may be able to see a tide mark indicating rising damp on the outside of your building.

What to do if you detect damp in your home

If you’re experiencing damp in your home, the first thing you need to do is identify the cause and then remedy it where possible. Damp can be caused by leaking pipes, rising damp from the ground below or condensation through lack of ventilation.

Rainbow’s damp remediation experts are on hand to help you identify what’s causing the damp in your home. They’ll be able to recommend the best approach to drying out your property and managing it to avoid damp recurring in the future.

We have a wide range of dehumidifiers and air movers so we’ll be able to recommend and lease the one that best suits your needs.
With 70 branches across the UK, we’re bound to have a branch near you – on average there is a Rainbow International branch just 23 miles from any postcode in the UK.

Call our 24/7 national helpline on 01623 422488 or visit our website to find a branch near you.