Understanding Efflorescence And The Damp That Causes It

You may have heard the term efflorescence and might be forgiven if you thought it was a new brand of herbal shampoo or toothpaste, but the unfortunate reality is far less pleasant if you own one of the thousands of buildings in the London area that are being plagued by damp issues. You might not know the name yet, but you have probably seen the effects of efflorescence in and on buildings, and it’s possible it’s already happening on your property and you just haven’t noticed it yet!

So, what exactly is efflorescence? It’s a powdery white salt deposit that becomes visible on the walls, resembling the high tide marks you see on piers by the sea. These deposits are formed when the dissolved salts in ground water rise up with moisture through microscopic pores in building materials such as wood, stone, and bricks via a process called capillary action that is similar to the way in which a sponge absorbs water. When the water and the salts the rising damp carries reach a height of roughly 1. 5 metres, the water evaporates, leaving efflorescence behind on the structure’s outer surface.

Efflorescence doesn’t actually do any damage to structures, but it is unsightly and a harbinger of worse problems that will require wall damp treatment. The visual remnants of efflorescence on your structure’s outer walls can usually be cleaned up easily enough with some elbow grease, but if efflorescence is happening on the interior walls it will spoil the room’s aesthetics, and eventually the underlying rising damp that deposits it there will damage the plaster, paint, and wallpaper by making them crumble, bubble, and eventually fall off the wall!

Before all that happens, it is critical to locate the source of the damp and work towards stopping it, because if these problems are left untreated, they can cause serious damage to your property! Once you see signs of efflorescence, you should immediately seek professional assistance by asking a damp specialist to come search out any more serious underlying moisture issues and discover their sources, such as water leaks and condensation. Once the underlying issues have been addressed, you can relax because you will no longer need to worry about the problem.

A little unsightly efflorescence may not seem like a big issue in buildings, but if it is allowed to persist without steps being taken to stop it, the problem can grow worse and potentially lead to much more destructive complications like mould, mildew, and wood rot! Considering the gravity of those negative repercussions, it is essential that any damp issues be identified and addressed as soon as possible to make sure the sources of the problem are properly dealt with.

If you would like to order a free damp survey of your property by one of our damp proofing specialists, just give us a call on 0208 226 6330, email us at [email protected], or submit our online form for general questions about our services. We are here to keep you safe and dry!