Inadequate ventilation to a sub-floor area is a common defect in a building inspection, but you don’t have to wait until you sell your property to find out if your property has ventilation issues. Here are some of the signs that your property has inadequate ventilation:
Evidence of wood decay and rot on sub-floor timbers and flooring
Moisture on timbers exceeding 20%
A musty odour when entering the subfloor area
Vegetation growing from inside the wall or soil build-up
Pooling of water
Fretting or deterioration of mortar on brickwork
Rusting of metal piers and/or antcaps
There are many factors leading to high moisture levels in the subfloor area including plumbing leaks, inadequate drainage, inadequate water proofing and vents covered by vegetation.
Usually water from the soil mainly in the subfloor area evaporates and condenses on the cooler surfaces of the floor. But in cases of poor subfloor ventilation condensation builds up, this allows flooring timbers to gain moisture increasing the risk of wood decay, rot and a build-up of fungi, mould growth, structural weakness & causing serious health issues.
Rising damp usually occurs in older houses that were built without damp-course or a shale slate damp course row. The absence or breakdown of damp course in masonry if left untreated will result in timber decay that are in contact with the masonry and cause structural failures.
Engaging a qualified building and pest inspector before you buy or sell your property ensures such issues are identified and dealt with quickly. Call 1TEK Building and Pest Inspections on 1300 388 155.
#rising damp #timber decay #ventilation #building and pest inspection #1TEK Building & Pest Inspections
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