What are the effects of damp in the home? Find out all about them

What are the consequences of damp in the home?

Damp in the home is a persistent problem that you shouldn’t underestimate. What starts as a small damp patch or a faint musty smell in the house can quickly develop into a complex situation. The consequences of damp are not limited to cosmetic damage to your home’s interior. It has a direct and, above all, negative impact on both your health and the structural condition of your home. Moisture problems They never go away on their own, and the symptoms only get worse. So take damp in your home seriously and prevent permanent damage and mounting costs by taking prompt action with high-quality damp-proofing. A summary of the main consequences of damp in the home.

Health problems: increased risk of allergies, asthma and respiratory problems.

Reduced living comfort: a constant musty smell and a damp feeling in the house.

Mold and saltpetre: unhealthy mould spores on the walls and white salt deposits.

Structural damage to your home: weakened walls, sagging floors and damaged plasterwork.

Higher energy bill: Humid air in the home is harder to heat, which leads to higher energy costs in order to reach the desired temperature.

Depreciation in the property market: an untreated damp problem reduces the market value of your home.

Free expertise

1. The impact on your health and living environment

Excessive humidity in the home

In a healthy, damp-free home, the ideal relative humidity level is between 40% and 60%. Does the humidity level in your home regularly rise above 60%? If so, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with an underlying damp problem such as rising damp, condensation moisture, penetrating moisture or a leak. This excessively damp air has a direct and, above all, negative impact on your health.

Health problems caused by damp and mould

A continuous high humidity At home, it provides the perfect breeding ground for fungi, house dust mites and pests. You breathe in the harmful spores they leave behind in the indoor air without even realising it. This leads to poor indoor air quality and can cause a whole host of health problems.

Respiratory symptoms, such as a persistent cough, sneezing and the onset or worsening of asthma and bronchitis.
Allergic reactions, such as irritation of the airways, skin rashes and other allergies, which are often triggered by mould spores and house dust mites.
Worsening of joint pain, as high humidity in your home puts extra strain on the joints. Symptoms of rheumatism, arthritis and osteoarthritis are simply likely to worsen in a damp environment.

Note: Young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of a damp indoor environment.

Attraction of pests

A damp room or home doesn’t just attract mould. Pests such as silverfish, cockroaches, mice and dust mites thrive in damp and humid living spaces. This has a negative impact on hygiene in your home and increases the risk of allergies and, once again, a whole host of health problems.

Protect your health with our free expert advice

2. Visual and aesthetic damage to your home’s interior

Damp seeps in everywhere and can quickly make your home a lot less attractive. If you do not tackle damp problems properly and professionally, the initial consequences are often aesthetically unsightly and unpleasant.

Damage to the finish: damp causes paint to flake, wallpaper to come away, plasterwork to be damaged and skirting boards to become loose.

Unsightly damp patches: these can appear anywhere, such as on the walls, the ceiling, in the bedroom, bathroom or cellar. The location of the damp patch therefore often reveals the cause of the damp problem.

Damage to your furniture and clothes: over time, the black mould stains They no longer just affect the walls, corners or ceilings, but also damage your furniture and clothes.

A persistent musty smell: damp and fungi They give off a characteristic, unpleasant and musty smell that soaks into your clothes and furniture, reducing the comfort of your home. This makes it harder to feel at home when you get back.

Minimise the impact on your home décor with our free expert advice

3. Structural damage and safety risks

As well as affecting the interior, the damp in your home also poses a huge threat to its structural integrity. Without a quick, professional and permanent solution to damp undermines the structure of your home.

Deterioration of building materials: building materials such as bricks, cement and wooden support beams become porous and brittle as a result of excessive exposure to water and damp air.

Salt efflorescence: this is a white salt deposit on your façade or interior walls, caused by a chemical reaction between the groundwater and your brickwork and pointing. The salt in saltpetre is hygroscopic. This means that it attracts even more moisture from the air. As a result, the walls remain damp for longer, the humidity level in the house rises further, and the risk of structural damage increases.

Frost damage in winter: penetrating moisture The water contained within your external walls freezes during the winter, expands and causes irreparable cracks in your façade.

Risk of subsidence: in the very worst-case scenario, prolonged exposure to damp, saltpetre and mould can cause your walls and floors to subside, making it dangerous to continue living in your home.

Prevent structural damage with our free expert advice

4. The serious financial consequences of damp in the home

Damp in the home It will ultimately hit your pocket too. Ignoring a damp problem leads to high and escalating costs.

A higher energy bill: Humid air is much heavier and harder to heat than dry indoor air. Even if your thermostat is set to 20°C, the perceived temperature in a damp living space is lower and it feels cold inside the house. You therefore have to turn your heating up higher to achieve the same level of comfort, which means you use more energy. What’s more, damp can damage the insulation layers in your walls. Poor insulation will drive your energy bills even higher.

Escalating repair costs: the longer you wait to sort out the damp problem and reduce the humidity in your home, the more damage the damp will cause to your property. Over time, not only does the damp problem itself become more serious and complex to deal with, but so too does the repair work on your plaster, paint or cladding will end up costing more.

Depreciation of your home’s value: when you factor in the risks to your home’s structural integrity, the damaged insulation layers, the high energy bills, the unhealthy living environment caused by mould, and the unsightly damp patches in your home, it becomes clear that an untreated damp problem the value of your home is causing prices to fall rapidly in the current property market.

Avoid additional financial costs with our free expert advice

How do we tackle your damp problems effectively? AquaConsult’s definitive solution

At AquaConsult, we don’t just treat the symptoms. We offer a sustainable moisture solution tailored to your needs, so that you can finally be free from the negative consequences of moisture in the house.

Request a free, no-obligation assessment: the first step towards a dry, damp-free home is a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the damp problem. Request yours online or by telephone free expertise Please fill in the form. We’ll then ring you as soon as possible to arrange an appointment. Our experts would be happy to visit you.

A thorough damp survey carried out by our damp experts at your home: our experienced experts will visit you free of charge and carry out a thorough on-site moisture diagnosis We measure the moisture levels, identify the exact cause of the damp problem and assess the extent of the damage.

A bespoke solution for your damp problem: as every home and every damp problem is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Based on the damp analysis, we’ll provide you with a transparent, bespoke treatment plan and a fixed price. That way, you’ll know exactly where you stand, with no unpleasant surprises afterwards.

Professional work with a long-term guarantee: as soon as you give your approval, our experts will begin the effective damp treatment. We use only high-quality, certified materials and the latest techniques to tackle the damp problem at its source. As we are confident in our expertise, we offer long-term guarantees on the work carried out.

Free expertise

Protect your family, your home and yourself from the effects of damp in the house

Raise the alarm immediately as soon as you notice the first signs of damp in your home. This will help you avoid any negative consequences and ensure your home remains a safe and healthy environment for both you and your family. You can count on AquaConsult’s personalised service and many years of experience to tackle damp problems in your home quickly, effectively and professionally.

More information and brochure request

Answer the questions below and get more information based on them.

Frequently Asked Questions about damp-proofing grants (FAQ)

Is there a premium for moisture control?

Yes. In Flanders, you can via the My Renovation Premium a significant portion of your invoice for the damp-proofing of rising damp, penetrating moisture or basement waterproofing to get it back.

How can I apply to the Flemish Government for a subsidy for damp-proofing?

The application from the My Renovation Premium is handled entirely online via the Flemish Government’s online environmental services portal. To do this, you will need your final invoice and a certificate from a registered contractor, such as AquaConsult. If you choose AquaConsult, we will provide you with all the necessary documents after the damp-proofing works have been completed, so that you can submit your grant application smoothly.

What is the fee for treating rising damp?

The exact contribution or the exact amount you receive towards the treatment of rising damp depends on your income and family circumstances. For those in the lowest and middle income brackets, this can amount to as much as 35% or even 50% of the invoice amount.