Pipetek Gives a Damp Course on Eye on Spains The Siesta Show

an issue that is becoming more and more prevalent in Spanish properties. Jim Fraser, Managing Director of the drainage and water leak detection company (www.pipetek.net), gives this free ‘damp course’ over two shows, in a bid to highlight ways property owners can detect and deal with damp in Spain. Jim Fraser explains that through Pipetek’s servicing of drains in Andalucia, the company became aware of a burgeoning problem within Spanish properties, particularly newly built properties. Damp on the Costa del Sol may seem incongruous, but in fact two of the three types of damp, penetrating damp and condensation-caused damp (rising damp, while common in the UK, is relatively rare in Spain), are rife and in some cases causing irreparable damage. Towards the end of 2007 and throughout 2008, Pipetek saw a significantly increased number of damp-related call-outs. Now, conducting damp investigations and providing individuals, urbanisation officials and insurance companies with the resulting technical reports is a core part of their service. Jim Fraser is clear that, in their expert opinion and having analysed hundreds of reports’ worth of evidence, the damp in Spain is caused by poor construction techniques abounding in the recent construction boom. Jim is also very clear about the ramifications: he has seen many property “dreams shattered” with “entire properties obliterated” by damp. These shows are far from doom and gloom, however. Instead, Jim guides us through what to do with regard to our own properties, potentially saving owners thousands of euros. Jim shows us a number of different properties with serious damp problems and talks us through the sources of damp in each. Penetrating damp caused by defective services in the property is common: one property had a defective foul system with the blockage causing moisture to penetrate into the substructure of the building; while another’s electrical supply had brought water in through the conduits after torrential rain. Jim explained that hidden buried chambers are common underneath newly built properties in Spain, and when they are blocked (often with old building materials left from the construction) they can often lead to damp ingress in ground-floor properties. In some of these cases the damp was so bad that it rendered the property completely uninhabitable, a sobering thought when faced with the simple – and free – tips that Jim went on to explain could have detected the damp issue before real damage was done. A simple flow test of your drainage system can alert you to potential troubles. Simply flush a toilet and go straight outside to the manhole cover over your property’s drains, lift it (with care) and check that there is water flowing. This may seem simple, but seeing that there is a problem with the flow will allow you to address the issue before damp has had a chance to penetrate. Condensation is another common cause of damp and is difficult to avoid in the hot and humid conditions of Southern Spain, especially considering that 10kg of moisture is created per person per day in a normal household. Jim has more free and simple advice here: know how to identify this type of damp and treat it with a bleach-based cleaning fluid. Other simple tips include using de-humidifiers and silica gel packs. Damp on the Costa del Sol seems to be taking hold, but take Pipetek’s ‘damp course’ by watching their appearance on The Siesta Show (www.eyeonspain.com/tv, programmes 39 and 40) and you can help protect your home against this insidious problem. To find out about the full range of services that Pipetek offer, from drain clearing in Andalucia to water leaks on the Costa del Sol, visit www.pipetek.net. Editor’s Note: Pipetek SL is represented by the search engine optimisation (SEO) and digital marketing specialists, Global Ad Solutions. Please direct all press queries to Louise Byrne. Email: louise@globaladsolutions.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 951 272 972.

Name*:
E-mail*:
Captcha*:
Text*: