Wykamol Group

Restoring an old property is all about understanding its environment and how this affects the materials it was built with. If we can take time out in today’s pressured workplace to truly understand this it becomes a relatively simple task to resolve damp problems.

The official definition of an old building used to be "Built before 1919" but that did not really explain what made them different from modern buildings. That is that they are "solid-walled structures, built using breathable materials, which need to breathe".

Likewise, breathability is about allowing moisture to enter and leave a building’s fabric without hindrance so that it will never build up.

Old properties were typically built with stone, soft brick or lime mortar, all of which are subject to movement due to heat and seasonal changes.

Hard or dense renders were first used to help keep a building dry, externally and internally, after the Second World War when cement and gypsum plaster became widely available. But while they may have performed a function then it is quite a different story now.

An unfortunate consequence of the Government’s focus on improving the thermal performance of buildings is that many older properties are being overclad with hard or dense renders or treated with impervious coatings which just exacerbate a damp problem.

Hard or dense renders are just that – hard - so they crack under pressure. Water is trapped, the walls outside and inside become even damper and the house becomes even more thermally inefficient.

Just like Gortex enables sportspeople, adventurers and explorers to perform to the maximum, breathability along with water resistance is the key to preserving the structure and aesthetics of an old property.

Wykamol has developed a dry lining membrane which does just that. Dampstop Mesh is manufactured from HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) with a welded mesh that isolates dampness and salts and creates a dry surface for builders to (soft) render or dot and dab onto.

Supremely simple to install, the lightweight membrane is cut to the height of the wall using a Stanley knife and fixed to it by drilling a 8mm hole through it and hammering home a fixing plug at centres to suit. The surface is then ready for direct rendering or dabbing for plasterboard to be skimmed.

There is minimum waiting around waiting for it to dry which can sometimes take months – hard or dense renders typically taking an inch a month to dry out and while that takes place only emulsions can be used for decoration, to allow the wall to breath.

Not only is the system exponentially quicker but it is also cleaner (as there is no sand/cement to be mixed) and healthier (no powders in the atmosphere – a particular bonus when converting basements).

Because the membrane prevents cold bridging, the days when wet dabs onto bare brick would penetrate plasterboard and leave unsightly damp dots over a wall are long gone.

Wykamol is the latest of a distinguished group of suppliers, contractors, manufacturers, and more, to join new trade representative organisation, the Basement Waterproofing Association (BWA).

The organisation was set up, and is independently managed by leading innovators in the field of protection for underground construction, and has numerous goals for the furtherance of the industry.

An association so that the general public can get good advice and find a reliable contractor is at the heart of the new association.

Explaining the principles at the heart of the BWA, Chairman, Collette O'Connor, recently commented: “We know a great deal about effectively protecting underground spaces from water in the ground but that doesn't mean we should stop learning. This organisation is all about research, shared knowledge, best practice and mutually beneficial relationships for all involved – particularly our customers.”

We are really pleased to have Peter Cox involved as well as some influential manufacturers already.

In joining the organisation, Wykamol has demonstrated its dedication to these values and more, offering customers a raft of benefits, including:

Courteous, honest and ethical service, upholding Wykamol's reputation, that of the BWA, and the industry as a whole.
Up-to-the-minute knowledge of cutting-edge industry advancements, helping us to promote products and services that truly make basement waterproofing a viable means of leveraging living space and storage in domestic, commercial and industrial applications.
Liaison with public authorities, promoting best practice and ensuring relevant building regulations are observed and adhered to.
Knowledgeable staff that can access the BWA's training programmes to constantly maintain and improve their already high standards.

For more information on the BWA – including details of its numerous incentives for member companies – the organisation has launched a brand new website: www.basementwaterproofingassociation.org

As an added bonus for Wykamol customers, the assessment process and application procedure for membership can be fast-tracked by registering your interest with Andrew Latimer on 0845 400 6666, 07774 120 958 or email Andrew.Latimer@wykamol.com .

Wykamol Group have taken their first step in helping a blind or partially sighted person become mobile and independent by choosing to support Guide Dogs and raise the £5000 needed for training a guide dog puppy.

Why dont you make a text donation Today? By texting 70070 with 'GDOG67 + Amount'.

After choosing Guide Dogs as their charity of the year, Wykamol have begun donating regularly to the charity and will now be encouraging their customers and suppliers to join them in helping to name a puppy by donating on their Just Giving page.

Andrew Latimer, Sales Director at Wykamol says: ‘It’s wonderful to know that we are doing something that will change someone’s life. We are excited to get everybody on board with fundraising and can’t wait to be able to name our own Guide Dog puppy.”

Once the £5,000 target has been raised, Wykamol will be able to choose a name for their puppy, receive regular reports about its progress during its first year with its puppy walker and even get to meet it before it heads off to Guide Dog Training School.

Siobhan Cullen, Community Fundraiser from Guide Dogs, says: ‘Naming a Puppy is a really special thing to do and we are absolutely delighted that Wykamol have chosen to concentrate their fundraising efforts on that.

‘It costs almost £50,000 to support a Guide Dog partnership from the birth of the pup to its retirement aged about 10. We don’t receive any Government funding for this service so without the generosity of public donations, we wouldn’t be able to support the 4,600 Guide Dog partnerships in the UK.’

Guide Dogs promises to supply every guide dog owner with a dog for as long as they need one. Some people may need six or seven dogs in their lifetime.

If you would like to help Wykamol name a puppy you can donate via their Just Giving page by going to www.justgiving.com/Wykamol/ .