External brick wall waterproofing is essential if you want to keep your home dry, no matter how bad the weather is outside.
External brickwork is the first line of defence against moisture. If there isn’t effective waterproofing, then your property can quickly succumb to serious problems such as rising damp or penetrating damp.
It’s important to ensure that all external brickwork can repel moisture, and there are several methods of brick wall waterproofing that homeowners can utilise. If you’re wondering how to waterproof your brickwork, the experts at Danford, Brewer & Ives are here to explain everything you need to know.
Isolate the Cause of Any Leaks or Damp
If you’re seeing signs of damp either inside or outside your home, it’s likely your brickwork has lost its protective waterproof layer. However, there can be several reasons as to why this waterproofing has failed, so it’s important to isolate the cause of any dampness before attempting to fix it.
Modern properties are built with brick wall waterproofing as standard, but depending on the method used, this waterproofing can deteriorate over time. The older your home, the more likely this is to have happened.
Bricks may begin to crack, gaps may form in the mortar, or cavity wall ties might rust or break, weakening the structure of a wall and allowing water to penetrate. There may be problems with excess groundwater, your damp proof course may have broken, and much more.
We recommend calling in a damp proofing specialist to identify the cause of any leaks, damp or moisture. They’ll be able to offer expert advice and suggest the most effective form of brick wall waterproofing for your property.
Ensure External Brickwork Is Sealed
The most basic fix when waterproofing external walls is to ensure the brickwork has been properly sealed. Even if it has been sealed, this waterproofing may have deteriorated and may need renewing.
A damp proof specialist can suggest the most effective forms of sealant, because there are many different creams and waterproofing agents that can be applied to the outside of a home. The best quality products will provide an effective barrier against moisture for many decades.
You’ll also need to make sure that any broken masonry, crumbling mortar or rusted cavity wall ties have been removed and replaced. This helps to avoid further gaps forming in the wall, thereby keeping the external brickwork fully sealed.
Install a Damp Proof Course
External walls need to be fitted with a damp proof course to repel moisture that might otherwise cause damp problems. A damp proof course is primarily designed to stop rising damp from working its way into a brick wall and then spreading throughout the home.
Older homes may not have an existing damp proof course fitted, in which case one needs to be installed. Over time, a damp proof course can shift position, in which case it would need to be repaired. A chemical damp proof course, which can be injected directly into the masonry, is the most effective option for homeowners.
Have ‘Tanking’ Carried Out on External Brickwork
If your damp proof course is lower than the ground level, you may find that water seeps into the home laterally (this is a form of penetrating damp). If this happens, then you can have a process carried out called ‘tanking’.
The idea of tanking is to completely seal and waterproof a wall below ground level, in such a way that you create an impenetrable, tank-like barrier. This is often achieved by stripping the wall right back to the masonry so the bricks are exposed, before rendering the exposed brick with a waterproofing agent. The brickwork can then be lined and plastered to create an effective waterproof barrier.
Tanking is commonly used to seal areas of brickwork that are below ground, such as basements. Because of the pressure caused by the ground above, these areas of brickwork are very susceptible to leaks, a problem which tanking aims to stop.
Contact Danford, Brewer & Ives for More Information About Brick Wall Waterproofing
Brick wall waterproofing is essential if you want to keep your home dry and damp free all through the year. With so many different methods of brick wall waterproofing available, we recommend consulting a damp proofing specialist for expert advice.
For more information on brick wall waterproofing, please contact our friendly team on 01765 804050 or fill in our online contact form. Our experienced specialists will be on hand, ready to offer expert advice tailored to your needs or to arrange a thorough survey of your home.