Peeling paint, a white salty bloom on the plaster, a musty smell in one corner of a room. Damp is easy to spot and easy to misdiagnose. Painting over it with "damp-proof paint" rarely lasts a season, because the water is still coming from somewhere.
Which kind of damp do you have?
| Type | Where it shows | Usual cause | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising damp | Bottom metre of walls, tide mark | Damp-proof course missing, failed or bridged by soil/paving | Lower the soil, injected chemical DPC, re-plaster with salt-resistant render |
| Penetrating damp | Anywhere, worse after rain | Cracks, porous face-brick, failed sills, leaking parapet or slab | Repair cracks, wall waterproofing coating, fix the roof detail above |
| Condensation | Bathrooms, cold corners, black mould | Moisture from inside the home | Ventilation; not a waterproofing problem |
Damp proofing Pretoria East homes
Many older homes in Lynnwood, Waterkloof, Garsfontein and Die Wilgers have face-brick walls and original damp-proof courses that have been bridged over the years by raised paving, flower beds or plaster run down to ground level. Our damp proofing Pretoria East work starts by finding out which of the three types above you have, then fixing the cause.
Wall waterproofing Pretoria and exterior waterproofing
For penetrating damp, wall waterproofing Pretoria homes need usually means sealing cracks and applying a breathable, flexible waterproof coating to the exterior walls, especially the walls that take the brunt of the summer storms. For exterior waterproofing Pretoria East face-brick, clear water-repellent treatments keep the look of the brick while stopping water soaking in.
If the damp is high up on a wall under a flat roof, the source is usually above: see parapet and slab waterproofing. Below ground, see foundation and retaining wall waterproofing.
Areas we cover for this service
We do damp proofing & exterior walls across Pretoria East: