How Your Drains Are Causing Damp In Your Home

However, many are often surprised to discover that their drainage system can be the cause of the damp in their properties, and that a blocked or broken drain can be doing much more damage to their homes than they may realize. Leaks in your drainage system, which can occur through broken, damaged, or blocked pipes, can create penetrating damp, mould and wet rot. If this is happening, then it’s time to have one of our professional drainage specialists tackle the issue as quickly and effectively as possible! Let’s break down the main ways to identify damp in your home, how damaged drains can cause damp, and what we can do to help.

Before you can determine what is causing your damp, you first need to understand how to identify it in your home! Here are the telltale signs that you are experiencing a damp issue:

• Discolouration, dark spots, and wet patches
• Black mould appearing on walls, baseboards, surfaces and edges
• Peeling wallpaper or flaking paint
• Condensation, particularly on windows
• Damp and musty smell
• Clammy walls
• If your damp is caused by a drainage issue, it will usually be contained to one area of the wall!

While condensation and rain penetration are the usual suspects of damp for homeowners in London, many owners do not realize that leaks, caused by broken and blocked drains, can also be a seriously damaging cause of damp that needs to be identified and fixed right away to avoid further problems. 

It is especially important to check areas in the home where there is a lot of water drainage appliances, such as the kitchen and bathroom, as they can be particularly prone to damp issues! Here are the main ways that your drains are can be causing damp:

Damaged and cracked pipes around a property are one of the leading causes of damp, mould, and wet rot in a home. The water that leaks out of these damaged pipes is often waste water, and it can seep into your property and cause mould within your floorboards and walls. Cracked and damaged pipes can be caused by a multitude of things (read our blog on what causes cracked and damaged pipes here!) but if you notice any of the signs, such as a foul odour or localised wet patches, then it is imperative to call our drainage specialists to repair this issue to avoid further damage and damp!

Blocked drains are another significant cause of damp, and are often brought on by debris buildup and unnecessary food and toiletry items being flushed down the drains. When blockages occur, the pressure can build up and eventually cause leaks or breakages in the pipes, which can lead to damp in your home. Pay attention to gurgling noises or foul smells as an indicator that you have a blocked drain, and call our office so that we can send out one of our trained drainage specialists to fix your blocked drains and stop the damp from spreading.

Faulty and leaky pipes and gutters are usually indicators that there is a bigger problem in your drainage system, such as cracks or blockages, and should not be ignored if you do not want to experience further damp issues. The water damage that can occur from this can cause of wet rot and can spread in and around the home. The result of a leaky pipe or gutter is usually a localised wet area on one spot of the wall where the leak is occurring, so keep an eye out for this if you think leaking downpipes may be the issue.

Our drainage engineers have extensive experience in repairing any broken or faulty pipes, so if this is the case, set up an appointment today so that we can fix the issue and stop damp from recurring in your home.

Root ingress can occur on properties that have trees in the yard or are close to forest areas, and commonly disrupt drainage systems. The roots of a tree can crack or break pipes in search of water, which in turn can cause blockages, leaks and damp problems. If this is the case, it’s important for a professional to take a look as soon as possible to avoid any further damp issues, as well as structural issues that can also be caused from root ingress. Call our office today to rid yourself of root ingress and the damp it can cause in your home!

Call our office today or request your call back for a prompt and professional diagnosis of what drainage issues could be causing your damp and how we can eradicate the problem!