In a masonry building, a ground-floor suspended timber floor is a very old way to create a dry, warm living environment in the United Kingdom, using naturally available materials, and it also provides a damp and thermal break from ground contact. The issue is that timber is not durable when kept in a damp environment;
I have investigated an increasing number of issues related to insulation, dampness, mould, and rot arising from improper workmanship and a failure to follow Building Standards or NHBC requirements in the new house roof void. In the new constructions, I have inspected the perimeter insulation. It was not installed in accordance with the NHBC or Building
The Siphon The damp siphon was supposed to cure dampness in a masonry wall. It’s a method proposed by Professor Achille Knapen, as a result of his research and experiments. In Paris, you can see the siphons on the external joints of significant historic buildings (see photos). The idea was introduced into the UK around 1919
These Rentokil plaques, from a 1960 damp-proof course system that did not work, are a mystery to some surveyors. They are often associated with 1960s damp-proof course systems. Many find the 1960 damp proof course system failure to be perplexing. The first thing to understand is that the above system is not a damp-proof course or
During a dampness inspection using a Flir Infrared thermal imaging camera and an MR77 damp meter. I found a long-term issue caused by an incorrectly installed insulation quilt in the roof void. This demonstrates the relationship between dampness and insulation. The property is a modern tenement building, circa 2000. Its pitched roof uses timber trusses lined with
The Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum) is a type of woodworm that belongs to the family Anobiidae. Despite its name, the term “common” with emphasis on ‘furniture’ is misleading, as this beetle primarily resides in the sapwood of structural and joinery timber. The larvae bore into the sapwood and then pupate into adult beetles. When
Fungicidal treatments for timber, such as dry and wet rot, are used with Disodium Octaborate, a boron-based compound. Typically, this compound is dissolved in monoethylene glycol. Boron has been a staple in the timber preservation industry for over five decades. Primarily, it is used as an inorganic borate. Its efficacy as a fungicide is well-established,
Excess water in the air of a building is a significant problem Mould and condensation risks are most significant in ground-floor buildings. The highest amount of condensation and mould growth occurs in flats, bungalows, and basements. The surrounding landscape and weather will affect it. Buffering Buffering excess damp air in a single-storey property is lower.
