What is water ingress?
Chances are, if you’re reading this then your property is a victim of water ingress. In which case, let’s get straight into what water ingress is, some common causes and prevention tips for water ingress, and how to solve water ingress.
What is water ingress?
Simply put, water ingress is the process whereby water enters or penetrates a property. If left unresolved, this can cause issues such as the development of fungal infections or mould, occurrence of damp, structural damage and possibly even resulting health problems for occupants.
Signs of water ingress
To correctly diagnose water ingress, you will need a trained professional to assess the situation. But there are a few telltale signs that you can spot for yourself, including:
- A damp or musty odour
- Appearance of mould
- Damp patches on walls
- Peeling plaster or paint
- You may hear dripping noises
So now we’ve spotted ingress, let’s take a look at the common causes.
6 common causes of water ingress
In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the reasons why water ingress happens, along with some advice on how to prevent it.
- Roofs: Damage or degradation of a roof, minor or major, can cause water to leak into a building. Missing or faulty tiles, defective chimney flashing, and damaged flat roof surfacing are just some of the issues that can result in water ingress. Getting a regular roof inspection can help prevent the problem by catching the issues early.
- Gutters: A blocked gutter can be causing all kinds of havoc, including possible water ingress, so make sure you clean out yours regularly.
- Windows: Check the window frames – if the flashings are faulty, this could be a culprit for infiltration of water into your property. Correct any faults before they become a problem.
- Walls: Cracked mortar can result in this material becoming dangerously porous. General deterioration in components of walling or failures in damp bridge courses can also lead to ingress.
- Plumbing: Leaks are a major culprit of water ingress. But the issue with leaks is that sometimes they strike suddenly, making it tricky to put preventative tactics in place.
- Flooding: Should your property be situated on a floodplain, you are more likely than most to be affected by water ingress, in which case flood defences and precautions are your best preventative measure.
How to fix water ingress
If prevention has come too late and your building is already suffering, then the next stage is to stop the water ingress in its tracks.
So, how can you fix water ingress? This will need the help of a trained professional, such as Avant Garde, who will get your building watertight once again. We identify problems on a case-by-case basis, making sure you receive the resolution that is right for your home.
Avant Garde Damp Solutions is one of the most reliable and reputable damp proofing companies in London. Our services come highly recommended by customers, and as well as correcting your problem, we also recommend long-term preventative measures to ensure the issue is less likely to happen again. Got water ingress? Get in touch.