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Humidity by capillarity: what you should know

Good morning

In this presentation we will talk about capillary humidity, one of the most common pathologies in construction that affects many homes.

First of all, two of the most obvious symptoms of capillary humidity are the detachment of paint on the walls and humidity problems in the partitions, which can be detected with the naked eye.

For this reason, it is important to know what this pathology consists of and how we can put an end to it.

In the case of moisture by capillarity, this occurs due to the ascent of soil moisture through the pores of the construction material, mainly affecting the ground floors of buildings.

It is important to note that capillary damp should not be confused with other types of damp, such as seepage or condensation. Each one has its own characteristics and specific treatments.

Finally, it is essential to pay attention to the consequences of capillary humidity, since it can affect the health of the people who inhabit the house and also the building itself, and can cause structural damage.

In summary, it is essential to know what capillary humidity consists of, how to detect it and treat it properly to avoid serious long-term consequences.

Thank you for your time!

What is humidity by capillarity

Moisture by capillarity is one of the most common problems in construction. This process causes the water and humidity present in the area on which the building is located to rise little by little until it reaches a height that can be up to one and a half meters. This phenomenon occurs due to the absorption of water by the porosity and permeability of the walls, which generates what is called capillary rise. In turn, the materials in contact with this humidity absorb hygroscopic salts, which evaporate and leave white spots on the walls.

Moisture by capillarity not only causes aesthetic problems on the walls, but it can also affect the health and durability of the construction elements. For example, it can cause bulging in the paint, detachment of the plaster, and even structural damage.

In addition to the presence of groundwater at the base, the poor quality of the coatings and insulation chosen for the home, as well as the defects that can be found in them, are some of the causes of capillarity damp. It is in the months of the year with the most rainfall when there is a greater risk of capillarity humidity problems manifesting themselves because the groundwater sources rise to the maximum.

Therefore, it is important to know what humidity by capillarity consists of and how we can prevent and solve it. If it is suspected that our home is affected by this problem, it is advisable to go to a professional to carry out an evaluation and adequate treatment. Not only will it improve the aesthetic appearance of our home, but it will also ensure its health and durability.

How is it different from humidity due to filtration, condensation or capillarity?

Types of humidity: differences between capillarity, filtration and condensation

The terms rising damp, seeping damp and condensing damp are often confused, but they are different phenomena. Seeping damp occurs when water enters from the outside through walls and ceilings, and can be seen in dark spots and flaking. The most common causes are cracks where rain infiltrates and pipe breaks.

On the other hand, moisture from condensation appears when the temperature contrast between the interior and exterior of a home is large, especially in the coldest months of the year, and can be seen on windows and walls. In this case, there is no direct contact with the water, but rather it is produced by the effect of water vapor on cold surfaces.

Moisture by capillarity, the capillary effect is a different process, since the water rises through the pores and the permeability of the walls. It is a constant phenomenon and slow propagation.

Unlike leaks, capillarity damp does not cause roof leaks, but instead manifests itself on the walls in the form of white spots and paint, plaster or monolayer detachments.

In addition, leaks are more common on rainy days, while condensation occurs in the coldest months of the year. Dampness by capillarity is usually caused by the poor quality of the coatings and insulation, it can affect the health and durability of the construction elements.

Therefore, it is important to know the differences between the different types of humidity and act accordingly to prevent and solve problems that may arise in our home.

What effects does this type of humidity have?

Moisture by capillarity is a serious problem that can affect both the internal structure of the walls, the iron that oxidizes, expands and rotates the concrete, as well as the quality of life of the inhabitants of a house. Among the negative effects that it can produce is the deterioration of the property and the furniture, the legs of the furniture or wooden doors change color, blacken and rot,  installation problems electricity and less energy efficiency in the home because keeping walls and floors humid that deteriorates thermal resistance, lack of insulation. 

In addition, humidity can cause feelings of discomfort, tiredness and headaches, and can trigger respiratory allergies, asthma, respiratory tract conditions, cough and sinusitis, among other more serious respiratory diseases. Older people and children are especially vulnerable to these negative effects. Therefore, it is important to take measures to prevent and treat rising damp, not only to protect the structure of the house, but also to safeguard the health and well-being of its inhabitants.

Paintings, dehumidifier, reforms against humidity by capillarity.

They are not good long-term solutions because they are applied without thoroughly drying the wall/wall:

Many solutions but in the short term:

There are many companies with great experience of more than 50 years that offer coating solutions for the protection and rehabilitation of buildings, they offer professional solutions to end humidity but by not treating the entire house, water can find another way to rise in the walls and the risk persists in the medium term because nothing can stick well on walls, wet walls. 

The first solution to combat humidity by capillarity is to carry out a diagnosis of humidity, to detect the presence of this pathology.

The use of chemical barriers will help prevent the rise of water and eliminate the capillaries at the base of the wall,  but for a time until the chemical dissolves or until the water finds another route.

A decontamination treatment of the coating can also be applied, which will help to sanitize it and reduce the damage caused until the humidity returns again.

Paints and coatings for facades that offer a wide variety of solutions to combat water infiltration.

Different services related to humidity by capillarity, such as carrying out a technical study with measurement of humidity on the interior wall or façade surface to detect problems related to humidity, this type of technical advice, who will recommend the most suitable products for you. solve this problem with the best guarantees but they are short-term solutions because they do not stop the capillary cause.

It is important to combat and stop humidity by capillarity, since it can cause serious deterioration in the property and furniture, as well as problems with the electrical installation, which can lead to risks. In addition, it can affect the energy efficiency of the home, which can result in higher energy use and lower performance. Likewise, this pathology can cause feelings of discomfort, tiredness and headache, respiratory allergies, asthma, respiratory tract conditions, cough, sinusitis, joint discomfort and rheumatic diseases.

Our technology developed since 2012 long-term with a 30-year warranty and we promise another satisfied or return guarantee:

Attack the capillary cause directly and not the consequence, we treat the entire surface of a ground floor with a single unit, there is no surface limit, send the waves against the capillarity directly into the wall without loss and with power but of course without danger , it is in this that our technology is unique and reliable in the long term.

We are sure of the effectiveness because we also offer the possibility of following the measurement of drying in the heart of the wall and not on the surface, a measurement on the surface is useless because it is almost more a measurement of ambient air than humidity inside the wall/wall.

We offer this measurement of humidity at the heart of the walls with our new version of our equipment that has two 4cm anchors inside the wall, giving more precision than the electronic devices with spikes or surface balls used to monitor drying.

Connecting our team with our free mobile App.

Of course, once the walls and floors are dry, they must be reformed with good paints and coatings so as not to suck in ambient humidity and thus they will have great long-term resistance.

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