We are an approved contractor for the Sovereign
System of damp proof course injection. The Sovereign Chemical
Company, who are a BSI registered firm and members of the British
Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association, ensure that only
top quality materials are used and that a high standard of workmanship
is upheld.
The lack of a damp proof course or
the presence of an ineffective one will inevitably result in
rising damp. Practically all building materials absorb water.
This should not, and need not be a problem. Dry Rot, Wet Rot,
Rising, Lateral and Penetrating Dampness along with condensation
, all arise because of unwanted and unnecessary water in buildings.
These conditions create the perfect environment for the growth
of fungi and the spread of wood destroying insects.
Rising Damp is a very real possibility wherever
a wall is in contact with the ground. The soil, which normally
has high moisture content, acts a reservoir. The evaporation
of water from the surfaces of the wall exposed to the air cause
the fabric of the wall to act as a 'sponger' drawing moisture
up from the ground, through the bricks, stone or mortar,
Depending on the construction and materials of the wall serious damage
can occur anywhere up to 1.2 metres above ground level?
Lack of, or the presence of an ineffective damp course will inevitably
lead to Rising Damp and all the attendant damage that entails.
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• Preliminary Survey
• Preparation
• Injection process
• Making good
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We can also deal with
underground damp proofing requirements, for example, basements,
pools, etc.
by supplying tanking systems to give a completely sealed membrane
around the structure in question.
Tanking Systems
Tanking is the creation of a watertight envelope.
If there is hydrostatic water pressure present or possible high
water table in the future, then the floor must also be tanked
to complete the watertight integrity.
If continuity is not achieved, or where different systems cannot be tied
effectively together, then the system will remain vulnerable to possible
water ingress.
Where continuity has not been achieved, e.g. for commercial reasons at
the clients instruction, then this should be unambiguously identified
for future reference. We would recommend identifying such areas as 'sectional
tanking' with liability restricted to those areas actually tanked.
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Insufficient attention to timber preservation
can result in expensive damage from insect attack and fungal
decay.
We are an approved contractor for the Sovereign range of fungicide
and insecticide products which can provide remedial treatment to
fight all types of insect attack and wood rotting fungi.
We provide a complete service including site survey, treatment plan,
and treatment process and making good when the work is finished.
Despite its name, dry rot is anything
but dry. With a very grand Latin name of Serpula lacrymans,
it is the cause of major decay in buildings causing extensive
damage.
Dry rot is a fungus, developing a fruit body at the source of its
damp home. The fruit body is normally found on timber attached or
at least in contact with masonry, where damp conditions can prevail,
this causes decay primarily under conditions of restricted ventilation
and high humidity, the optimum moisture content for decay being 30-40%
moisture content. Dry rot can remain active in timber down to 20%
moisture and once established can attack dry timber. It can penetrate
through brickwork and masonry, and behind plaster, decaying any timber
en-route.
Damaged timber takes on a very dull brown colour, mostly developing
deep cracks along and across the grain. The timber loses weight as
it loses moisture and will crumble between the fingers. Unlike some
wet rots, there is no hardened surface to disguise this drying out
as the whole section of timber is affected, exposed timbers and timbers
where there is good ventilation are rarely affected.
Wet rot is a term of general classification,
there are many species of wet rot but all require relatively
high moisture levels in timber (above 30%) for development.
They can be divided into two groups; brown and white rots. They vary
in severity of damage but none possess the ability to pass through
inert material to spread to other damp timbers like Dry Rot. Thus
they are found localised in areas where they are exposed to considerable
amounts of water ingress. Externally exposed timber, timber in contact
with wet soil or masonry, or timber subject to a damp atmosphere
can all suffer from wet rot.
Brown rots, resulting in the darkening of timber will cause cracking,
leaving cube like shapes which crumble, usually smaller than those
associated with dry rot, although this cannot be relied upon alone
for identification purposes.
White Rot may bleach the affected timbers leaving them pale in colour.
The wood will develop a stringy, fibrous appearance, and although
may be easily crushed, does not crumble. Colours of associated mycelium
strands and fruiting bodies will vary depending on which type of
fungus causes the damage.
The remedial measures required for both types of rot are the same.
Treatment involves the removal of the dampness and replacement of
infected timber that has become structurally unsound together with
the application of a fungicide and preservative to the affected areas.
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