What to do if damp is found in survey?

Penetrating damp will normally be solved by replacing or repairing your gutters, to ensure they don’t hold rainwater, as this would result in damp as a result of built-up water. Rising damp may be harder to fix, and you may find your surveyor recommends installing a damp-proof course into your walls.

Can you hide damp from a surveyor?

Depending on why you have arranged the survey, you may be tempted to underplay or even cover up the extent of the dampness problem in the property, but as this will not solve the issue and will simply hinder the surveyor and the survey process, this is not advisable.

Is damp a problem when buying a house?

It is ok to buy a house with damp. However, upon purchasing the property, you should have the damp problem checked by a qualified surveyor. The surveyor can tell you what is causing the damp problem to occur and how much it is going to cost to get it fixed.

Can I get a mortgage on a property with damp?

Some lenders will take into account the cost of work outlined in the surveyor’s report and offer a mortgage subject to retention. In severe cases of rising damp, mortgage companies won’t lend and that means the seller will either need to carry out the work themselves or sell to a cash buyer.

What level of damp is acceptable?

In general, any reading between 6 and 10\% is considered normal here. Now if you are testing exterior wood that has direct contact with the surrounding humidity, you can tolerate values that are up to 20\%. Things start to get worrying when the meter indicates higher values than 20\%.

What is a high damp reading?

29710. Hi. any moisture content above 16\% reading is considered damp. Most meters are fairly accurate now,even the cheaper ones.

How much value does damp devalue a house?

According to property experts, a property with these issues can lose up to 53\% of its value. This can even branch out into more complex issues with other areas such as insurance. Your house can be perfect all over, but you run the risk of cutting the price if you sell it with mould and dampness.

Is a damp Survey worth it?

If you’re buying a property, a damp survey is a good precaution to take. Standard mortgage surveys might not necessarily pick up on damp, so it’s sensible to have a damp survey done to make sure there are no hidden issues with damp.

Does a homebuyer survey check for damp?

The Homebuyer Survey uncovers any serious structural problems with the building such as subsidence. The surveyor will also inspect damp-proofing, drainage, insulation, and damp test the walls to ensure damp is not present in the property.

Is rising damp easy to fix?

The most effective and economical way to treat rising damp is with a damp proofing injection cream. You can choose between complete kits or individual cartridges of cream from leading brands such as Kiesol C and Aida. The cream is injected or hand-pumped into specially-positioned holes in the mortar course.

What is a bad damp reading?

any moisture content above 16\% reading is considered damp. Most meters are fairly accurate now,even the cheaper ones.

What is a normal moisture reading in a house?

Readings on a moisture reader will generally range from 5 to 40 percent. A range of 5 to 12 percent is considered optimal. A reading of up to 17 percent is generally considered moderate moisture and acceptable.

What is a damp survey and why do I need one?

A damp surveyor will be able to give you a strong idea of whether damp is an issue in your property and how much it needs to be contained. They will do this by using special tools to measure the level of internal damp and will look at certain areas that are often affected by moisture related issues.

How can you tell if a house is damp?

Its a small handheld device that they can press against walls or floors and it will display the level of damp in the plaster (walls) or screeding (floors). They may have seen some visual evidence such as brown patches on plastered walls or they may simply have smelt what could be damp or could be a poorly ventilated bathroom or kitchen.

Why choose a specialist for damp assessment?

A specialist will be able to give you a more detailed idea of how damp is impacting the property, like how far it has sunk into the affected area and whether it’s rising damp, condensation or penetrating damp that’s the issue.

Do I need a homebuyer report for damp?

Get the facts on structural damp, the types of damp that may be present in a home and why it’s important to get a HomeBuyer Report before purchasing a house. Damp is the presence of unwanted water or moisture in a building which, if it goes untreated, can cause structural damage.