We are often asked what types of damp can affect my home in Portugal ?
The three kinds of damp that you hear the most about are rising damp, penetrating damp and condensation. This is where most people knowledge comes to an abrupt end.
The reason is that unless you have a lot of experience in the way houses are constructed in Portugal (very different from northern Europe) and also experience of the climatic conditions and of course damp treatment you will have a hard time working out which of these you have.
Top Tip. If you call in a “professional” and he has a fancy Damp Meter in his hand or bag of tricks. Show them the door immediately.
Reason. These Damp Meters have two prongs on them which pass an electrical current between them. The strength of the current shows up on the digital display or dial as a level of damp.
Actually no. It shows that there is some minor surface moisture not damp inside your walls.
Take for example a cooking thermometer. If you are cooking a joint or large bird you plunge the thermometer probe into the meat so that you can tell what temperature the meat is at. You don’t just touch the surface as that would not give an accurate reading.
Here’s an interesting independent view – http://www.askjeff.co.uk/rising-damp/
Our recommendation is to have people with years of experience in the way houses are constructed in Portugal and also experience of the climatic conditions and of course damp treatment look at your damp problems.
Important – Our advice and recommendations are often free and don’t necessarily result in invasive damp treatments. This is backed up by the well-known UK consumer magazine WHICH who said “If you think your property may be damp but can’t spot an obvious cause, seek advice from a reputable damp specialist”
Don’t live with damp in your Portuguese home contact Castelo Construction Lda info@casteloconstruction.com 00351 927168247 or to see some of our projects follow this link www.casteloconstruction.com
