How Can I Tell How Much Plaster Needs Replacing?
Damp may only be limited to certain sections of the wall, so even if you do spot signs of it, you don’t necessarily need to have all of your plaster replaced. However, the opposite may also be true and you may have a more significant underlying damp issue.
The only way to truly confirm the extent of your damp problem is to contact an experienced damp surveyor, who can inform you on the best remedial action.
Although highly salt-contaminated plaster is easy to spot, other sections that need replacing aren’t always so obvious. Moderately salt-contaminated plaster that could worsen in the future is often harder to identify, which is why calling in a damp expert is best.
Our team use specialist equipment like moisture readers to detect damp problems that aren’t visible, allowing you to get ahead of the problem before it gets worse.
There are a few different factors that determine how much plaster needs replacing. These include:
The type of plaster: Some types of plaster (such as gypsum) tend to be less resilient to salts than other types (such as cement). Less resilient plasters often require replacement more.
The effectiveness of the damp proof course: Certain damp proof courses are less effective at repelling moisture than others. An ineffective damp-proof course will allow moisture to permeate further into the plaster, meaning more of it needs replacing.
At Prokil, our specialist team can treat your walls with a highly effective chemical damp-proof course. Not only will this allow much of the original plasterwork to be retained, but it will keep the new plaster damp-free for years to come.
The length of time allowed:Waiting six months or more after installing the damp-proof course makes it easier to identify which sections of plaster need to be replaced. However, this is not always convenient for the property owner, especially if the house is currently being lived in.
