TYPES OF MOISTURE : HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM?

One of the major issues that can occur in our home is moisture. This phenomenon can cause significant damage in our home, so it is essential to know what types of moisture exist to distinguish them and apply the most appropriate treatment for each case. Each type of moisture requires a specific treatment to achieve the best results. If not, the only thing achieved is a tedious and annoying job, only to realize the same damages returning shortly after the treatment.

The causes of moisture in homes are linked to the presence of water in walls, floors and ceilings, such as:

• Presence of water in the subsoil.
• Proximity to the sea, rivers, or lakes.
• Underground streams, which rush against the walls in sloping houses.
• Areas near the garden or orchard with intensive irrigation.
• Very high ambient humidity from outside.
• Failure to extract water vapor, which is generated inside the house.

There are three types of moisture in homes each with its own characteristics, origin, and solutions:

• By capillarity (rising damp) of the walls and floors. This moisture comes from the ground below and manages to rise through the capillaries of the walls.
• By condensation of the water vapor that originates inside a house and is deposited in the colder and less ventilated walls.
• Due to leakage in pipes or drains, or the entry of rainwater through cracks in walls and ceilings.

Rising damp is the one that ascends through the pores of the walls and floors.

• Appears on ground floors or basements.
• Moisture spots on the walls grow upwards, depending on the amount of water in the subsoil.
• Stains appear between floor tiles leaving a whitish residue.
• In basements when coming also laterally humidity stains can also appear laterally at any height.

The HS-221 system definitively solves the problem by emitting very low frequency waves that are harmless to health. System HS-221 is the best anti-moisture treatment for capillarity, as it completely eliminates capillarity problems of walls and floors, and prevents them from appearing again in the future.

Moisture by condensation appears in the cold and poorly ventilated parts of the house.

• The solution involves generating less steam of water inside.
• Remove all steam of water generated, such as cooking, showering, opening the washer-dryer, or dishwasher.
• Ventilate the house when when the humidity outside is low.
• Improve the interior insulation of the house to prevent it from getting too cold at night.
• Use ceiling fans at minimum speed and in winter direction, so that there is better ventilation of the corners.
• Slightly separate the furniture from the wall so that air can circulate.

Moisture due to leaks can appear on all walls, floors and ceilings of the house.

Origins can be as diverse as:

• Cracks in the walls or ceilings, that face the outside and when it's raining allow water to enter inside.
• Leaks from water pipes or drains , which may be embedded in walls, or underground.
• In houses built on slopes the groundwater currents can hit walls , and water can enter inside.
• In each case you must take the right solution to solve the problem definitively, and seeking the assistance of a professional equipped with a thermal camera for easy leak detection.

The main symptoms of humidity are:

• A cold feeling, because water evaporating from walls and floors consumes heat and cools the environment.
• Strong smell of moisture, due to rot, which causes moisture and mold that appears for this cause.
• Stains and mold on walls and ceilings.
• Peeling on walls and paint chipping.
• Whitish stains on walls and between floor tiles.
• Proliferation of insects and bugs due to moisture.

The symptoms that appear on the walls and floors indicate the type of moisture we have.

• Rising damp only appears on ground floors, basements, are in contact with the soil on the outside.
• If there are cracks in the walls or ceilings, the moisture is by filtration.
• If water enters the interior when it rains it is a sign of moisture due to filtration.
• If you have leakage of water ducts or drains, it is moisture by filtration and you can notice it because it appears at a point and grows rapidly.
• If moisture appears in the junction of walls, ceilings and floor, it is indicative of moisture by condensation.
• It also indicates moisture due to condensation if humidity appears behind the furniture, and inside the cabinets.

The solution depends on the type of moisture we have, although sometimes we can have multiple types of moisture at home.

• Rising damp is effectively and permanently resolved with the HS-221 system.
• Condensation moisture has a solution if you have the following precautions:
• -Precaution of extracting all the water vapor that generates.
• -Ventilate the house when there is not much humidity outside.
• -Improve the insulation of the interior of the house so it does not get so cold at night.
• -Use ceiling fans at minimum speed and in winter direction, so that there is better ventilation of the corners.
• -Slightly separate the furniture from the wall so that air can circulate.
• For infiltrations with water entering inside, it is necessary to contact a professional with thermal camera to locate the hot spots.

"Since 2012, Humitat-Stop has been manufacturing the HS-221 system, which has become the best-selling electronic system. We have been successful in exporting it to Europe, Africa, America, Asia, and Oceania due to its efficiency, speed, cost-effectiveness, and maintenance-free nature.

During 2021, we have successfully exported 2556 HS-221 systems mainly to Europe, leading to more than 50% sales growth each year since 2014. Our progress has been remarkable across all continents, and we aim to become the world leader in electronic wall drying systems. Our new equipment not only provides drying control through a mobile application but also eliminates rising damp from all walls where it is installed.

The advantages of our system are:

• Efficient.
• Guaranteed.
• Economical.
• Fast.
• Certified.
• Ecologic.
• Healthy.
• Maintenance-free.
• No construction work.