Dampness can be caused by multiple different factors that occur both outside and inside of your home. There are three common types of dampness that can occur within walls, and these are the following: penetrating dampness, condensation, and rising damp. Condensation is the most common type of dampness that can occur within walls and is the most common out of three types of dampness for stimulating the growth of mold. Usually, condensation dampness can be caused by exterior-facing walls, which tend to be cold due to the placement. The easiest way to check if your walls have this type of dampness is by feeling the walls that you think are affected and checking to see if they feel wet. If they do, then this is a strong sign that your walls have condensation dampness.
Rising dampness is the next most common type of dampness that can occur within walls. Rising dampness usually affects walls that are on the ground floor of a building, as it is primarily caused by water that collects directly around the base/bottom of the foundations of the walls. If your walls are currently being affected by this type of dampness, you will likely notice that there are tide marks located across both the inside and outside of the walls due to the rising damp. Usually, walls that are suffering from rising dampness will usually have stains across the base, as well as the addition of damp patches that are wet to the touch.
The third most common type of wall dampness is something that is known as penetrating dampness. This type of dampness usually occurs when there is an accumulation of water that has built up from the outside of your home, which then permeates its way into your walls. More often than not, the culprit is usually either a broken pipe or gutter that is causing water to pool at the base of your home’s walls. On the other hand, penetrating dampness can also sometimes be caused by plumbing issues. If your walls are currently being affected by penetrating dampness, then some of the most common indications are plaster damage, stains, and damp patches.