Renovate damp walls with the help of the reliable HW horizontal barrier
Damp walls are a problem that can endanger the fabric of the building and your health. Professional remediation is crucial to prevent damage. In this blog, you can find out how you can remediate a damp wall and how our HW horizontal barriers can provide lasting relief.
These signs indicate damp walls
A damp wall can manifest itself through various symptoms. Look out for the following signs:
Have you already noticed one or more of these signs? Then you should act quickly to prevent further damage.
Causes of damp walls
In order to get damp walls dry, it is important to identify the exact cause of the wall dampness. The most common causes include
- Rising damp: Groundwater penetrates the walls through capillary action.
- Lateral humidity: Water penetrating from the ground into the masonry through basement walls that are not vertically sealed or via foundations.
- Defective seals: Damaged or missing horizontal or vertical barriers allow water to rise in the wall.
- Damage to gutters, roof or water pipes: Leaks lead to water ingress into the masonry.
- Condensation: High humidity and inadequate ventilation encourage moisture.
A professional analysis is essential in order to choose the right method for remediation and to prevent moisture from rising again in the masonry.
First aid for damp walls
Damp walls require quick action to limit damage. Follow these steps:
- Determine the cause: Check whether there is a burst pipe, rising damp or penetrating rainwater.
- Measure humidityWith a moisture meter you can precisely determine how much water is in the wall.
- Expose affected areasRemove wallpaper or plaster to allow the wall to breathe.
- Move furniture away from the wall: Ensure there is sufficient space between the wall and objects to promote air circulation.
- Ensure ventilationVentilate regularly and, if necessary, use a dehumidifier.
- Seal damage for the time beingTemporary sealants, such as silicone or foil, protect the walls from further moisture absorption.
These measures offer first aid, but are no substitute for professional restoration. Have your walls inspected by a professional company - often only professional drainage of the walls offers a permanent solution. This will also save you the cost of repeated attempts at restoration in the long term.
Important: Record the damage and all measures in photos and videos. In many cases, the building insurance will cover the costs of restoration. If you are renting the building, contact your landlord as soon as possible - according to the law, the landlord is responsible for repairing the damage and will cover the costs of restoration.
Measures for damp walls: Horizontal and vertical barrier
Two methods are used to renovate damp walls: horizontal and vertical blocking.
Horizontal barrier
Our patented stainless steel horizontal barriers are mechanically inserted into the masonry and form a permanent seal. This method is particularly suitable for capillary rising damp in older buildings without an existing barrier layer, but is also suitable for new buildings as long as the masonry has a horizontal joint close to the floor.
Vertical barrier
This is attached to the outside of the walls and forms a seal against water penetrating from the side, e.g. from rain or groundwater. It usually consists of special sealing materials such as bitumen or sealing slurries.
Both methods can be combined to provide a comprehensive seal against moisture ingress.
Mechanical horizontal barrier - the permanent solution
The mechanical horizontal barrier is an effective method of permanently stopping rising water in masonry. Our innovative stainless steel panels are gently driven into the wall joint, where they form a permanent barrier against capillary rising damp.
Advantages of the HW horizontal barrier:
- Durable: Stainless steel is corrosion-resistant - it enables a durable and maintenance-free solution.
- Effective: The mechanical barrier made of thin, overlapping panels completely blocks rising water.
- Gentle: This method and the wall-friendly installation minimizes vibrations and damage to the building.
- Environmentally friendly: No chemicals, no harm to people or the environment.
- Drive in in just one step: Separating the wall and inserting the lock requires just one work step.
- Suitable for all walls with a horizontal joint: up to a thickness of approx. 1 m.
6 steps to a HW stainless steel barrier and permanently dry walls
The patented HW horizontal barrier offers the ideal solution for remediating damp walls. However, it can only be installed by a professional partner company. You too can benefit from the HW process in just a few steps!
1. contacting a partner company: Make an appointment with one of our certified partner companies. They are specially trained to professionally install our patented stainless steel horizontal barriers.
2. professional assessment by the specialist company: The cause of the moisture is analyzed on site and the need for remediation is precisely determined. This assessment forms the basis for further measures.
3. preparation of the wall: The affected wall or the joint into which the panels are to be driven is exposed.
4. drive in the HW lock: The stainless steel horizontal barrier is gently driven into the wall joint using pneumatic hammers. This stops the rising water permanently
5. drying the wall: Once the HW stainless steel panels have been installed, the drying process of the wall above the barrier begins automatically. Depending on the degree of moisture penetration, drying can take several weeks to months.
6. aftercare measures: A professional follow-up check ensures that the masonry has normal moisture levels. After drying, additional steps such as mold removal and plastering can be carried out to restore the appearance of the wall.
Possible additional measures to the horizontal barrier
The masonry can be plastered with restoration plaster after the horizontal barrier has been applied. This special plaster absorbs moisture and releases it to the outside.
It is important to note that the use of restoration plaster is not a permanent or stand-alone solution. However, it is suitable for visual restoration and as a supplement to other methods.
Further possibilities for refurbishment
If the HW stainless steel barrier cannot be used (masonry composition or joint quality is not suitable), there is another mechanical method for remediating damp walls.
This is the Wall sawing method. The wall is sawn open horizontally in sections and a barrier layer is inserted in the next step. The joint is then wedged out and refilled.
Additional measures after the refurbishment
After renovating damp walls, there are accompanying measures that can speed up the drying process. Here are some helpful tips:
- Increase room temperatureKeep the rooms constantly warm, ideally at around 20-22 degrees Celsius. Heat promotes the evaporation of water from the masonry.
- Using a dehumidifierUse electric dehumidifiers to efficiently remove excess water from the room air.
- Using fansGood air circulation helps to remove moisture from the wall more quickly.
Ventilate regularlyEnsure shock ventilation, especially in dry weather, to regularly remove humidity from the room. This also removes mold spores from the room air and prevents a new infestation.
11 tips to prevent damp walls
With these tips, you can effectively prevent moisture rising in the walls:
1st test: Check the functionality of the waterproofing system (horizontal and vertical waterproofing) of your house.
2. optimum ventilationEnsure regular ventilation, especially in the basement. Ventilation systems can help to keep the humidity constantly low.
3. correct heatingMaintain an even room temperature to avoid condensation on the walls.
4. check thermal insulationGood insulation prevents condensation and protects the walls.
5. check sealsCheck windows, doors and external facades regularly for leaks.
6. keep out soil moistureCheck drainage systems and gutters to avoid standing water near the building.
7. drain rainwaterMake sure that the gutters and downpipes are clean and functional and that they direct the water away from the house.
8. use protective coatingsUse special sealants on exposed exterior walls.
9. check floor coveringsInstall vapor-tight materials in the basement (vapor barriers in the floor) to keep moisture out from below.
10. watch for signs: Look out for clear signs of damp in the masonry, such as mold or peeling plaster.
11. act quickly: Don't let any time pass and contact a professional as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more water will be able to penetrate the masonry and you can expect a more costly renovation.
Further questions & answers
Initial measures such as ventilation, sealing and the use of dehumidifiers can be carried out by yourself. However, sustainable remediation of damp walls requires the expertise of a specialist company.
A mechanical barrier. The patented stainless steel plates from HW-Mauertrockenlegung offer a wall-friendly, durable and environmentally friendly solution against rising water.
The drying time depends on the degree of moisture penetration and can take several weeks to months. Supporting measures such as dehumidifiers accelerate the drying process.
The mechanical horizontal barrier is durable, effective, gentle on the building fabric and requires no chemical additives. It can also be used in only one work step be brought in.
The cause of damp walls in the basement is usually an inadequate vertical barrier and moisture penetrating from the side. A combination of horizontal and vertical barriers is usually advisable. Be sure to contact a specialist company to find the causes, assess the extent of the moisture, determine suitable solutions for sealing the walls in the basement and determine further measures for dehumidification.
