Rising damp, mould and humidity problems solved correctly.
It may seem strange that in this fair weathered countries humidity, mould and even damp can be a major problem, yet it is said that one in three properties suffer from it, So why is this and how do we go about dealing with it.
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The problem starts with high humidity. The official average humidity for the coastal and inland regions is 65.8 which means once the temperature reaches 26 degrees we have high humidity alert. During warmer months, we can easily reach 30 plus degrees and humidity can reach 80 plus degrees, you can see that would put us in danger zone, if not emergency.
Such an environment is bad for our health, but perfect for propagation of mould spores.
Rising damp can become a major home and health hazard. A damp saturated wall can loose up to 50% of its load bearing ability. Many modern properties have large under-builds which are riddled with damp and water penetration. We have the necessary expertise to make them dry and usable.
Rising Damp??????
​We sometimes find ourselves undertaking surveys for work that was undertaken by contractors and has failed to stop the problem. It seems in many cases, contractors first response to a damp problem is injection. Fluid injection in spain has very little chance of being successful, due to the way a property is constructed. Damp proofing fluids have to be pressure injected in the mortar line so it can migrate laterally. Construction in Spain does not have an straight lateral mortar line, it is more random, as the load bearing element is in the structural piers. Just drilling holes in a wall and pumping fluid in, is likely to do more damage than good, especially in stone and rubble buildings as in old properties. Play safe and get a professional, qualified survey with BMT by filling in the form below.
Water cannot defy gravity, correct? Well not quite so.
Damp is is very often a result of leaking plumbing which maybe a small pipe leakage to a major loss of water and need to be found urgently.
Lateral and so called rising damp can also be a problem in properties, particularly basements due to water filtration when moisture from the soil filters through porous building materials like bricks and mortar via capillary action, similar to water climbing a paper towel.​
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We have the necessary expertise in damp repellent correction methods which does not involve hiding or covering the problem (out of sight, out of mind techniques)
Sometimes, damp is not a problem related to lateral water penetration, it can be what is known as capillary damp as mentions above. This is where moisture will find its way above the local water table being absorbed be porous structures. It can also be drawn vertically by evaporation. Soluble salts can allow moisture to migrate both horizontally and vertically, or impervious sealing such as rubber or plastic based paints, so called anti damp paints.
Sealing damp walls is not a good idea and will lead to long term problems. The route cause of the problem must be found and rectified and if required, a electronic capillary reversal process can be installed which will provide a fully guaranteed permanent rectification of the problem.
Salt acid attack
Attack of hygroscopic salt acids is often first identified where the paint is flaking on internal or external walls. No matter how many times you scrape off the flaking paint, give it a few months and the problem returns. Eventually the plasterwork become soft and spongy. If left unchecked it will migrate around the complete room about 0.8 of a meter off the floor and gently eat its way into the wall structure. Hygroscopic salts are so often misdiagnosed as a rising damp problem. We have been called out on a number of occasions to undertake reports after work has been done by so called damp professionals, who have undertaken a complete wall injection throughout the property, yet the salts still returned. Misdiagnoses is an expensive mistake for the property owner. Get it right first time, book a survey with BMT, it's free and without obligation.
Can inverters change the direction of water to stop rising damp?
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Electromagnetic pulses can change the polarity of water molecules by causing them to rotate and align with the oscillating electric field. The speed and efficiency of this change depend on the pulse's frequency, density of the moisture and the distance to the aligned field.
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Torque on polar molecules: Water molecules are polar, meaning they have a positive and a negative end. An electric field creates a force on these ends, causing a torque that makes the molecule rotate to align with the field.
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Oscillating fields: When the electromagnetic pulse alternates, the positive and negative fields constantly flip, causing the water molecules to continuously rotate and flip back and forth to try and keep up with the changing field.
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Energy conversion: This rotation is a form of molecular motion. The energy from the electromagnetic wave is converted into this kinetic energy, which manifests as thermal energy (heat).
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Influence of pulse properties:
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Frequency and intensity: The effect depends on the frequency and strength of the electromagnetic field. For instance, microwaves are used for cooking because their frequency is ideal for causing this rotation and generating heat in water.
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Pulse shape: The shape of the pulse also matters. Pulsed electromagnetic fields, such as those used in some research, can cause even faster changes and specific molecular responses, like the disruption of hydrogen bonds.
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It is important to note that the scientific basis and general effectiveness of these "electro-physical" or "electro-osmotic" systems are a subject of debate within the architectural and building conservation industries.
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Many professional sources state that there is no real scientific evidence that electro-osmotic force acts at a macroscopic level to push water back down into the ground as claimed by manufacturers of "magic box" type devices.
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Some manufacturers claim their products are effective and a non-invasive, eco-friendly solution for heritage buildings where traditional methods are unsuitable but hard factorial evidence on the effectiveness is hard to find.
In summary, while devices exist and marketed as "inverters" for treating rising damp, their efficacy is disputed by many experts, stating established proven methods of correcting to route cause of the problem is the correct way to proceed.
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