You just bought a new home. Why are your walls damp? It could be that your pipes are leaking. If your freshly painted walls have started to blister after a few weeks, your internal pipes might have sprung leaks or rainwater might have seeped in through the roof.
Whatever the case may be, you do not want your walls to stay damp for long. Here is how you can prevent water leaks, and dry them out.
Ventilation
Damp walls can wreak havoc if your home is poorly ventilated. Your walls need to breath otherwise they become a breeding ground for mould once they come into contact with moisture. Any area that prevents moisture from escaping and evaporating into the air leads to damp. Damp walls are nothing to scoff at. Mildew gives off allergens. You do not want your pets and kids being exposed to them. Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners prefer to seal their homes shut during the cold winter months. If you prefer to do the same make sure that the area where your damp walls are located is always ventilated. This will dry them out faster.
Leaking Pipes
Your walls might be damp because of a leaking or burst pipe. Look for large wet patches on your walls or on the floor. If you are going to repair your water or drain line on your own, never use a regular wrench on internal pipes. You might end up crushing galvanized pipes that have rusted. Obvious leaks can be spotted and dealt with easily. But they can grow into bigger problems if they are not located and patched up immediately. Unfortunately, that can happen if a homeowner such as you is unable to locate such leaks.
Act now before it is too Late
If you want to sell your property down the road or plan on using it as a rental in the not so distant future it is best that you get rid of those damp walls. Even a tiny pinhole leak has the potential to become a raging torrent if it is not detected. The offending pipe also needs to be replaced or patch up in a timely manner. You can also check out our service pages if you prefer to hire a licensed and professional leak detection service or a water line re-pipe service for the job.