Cavity Cleaning

 

This site has been designed with our domestic customers in mind, we have much more detailed technical information on our main commercial/trade website.

Discarded debris from construction and decayed  mortar can bridge the damp proof course. within the cavity of the wall

 

A built up of decaying mortar together with rusting wall ties expand and crack the surrounding bricks. As well as damaging the structural integrity of your home it can also cause damp problems.

 

 

This problem of bridging the Damp Proof Course in the cavity can  lead to damp problems and cold spots (“Cold Bridging”).

If the damp proof course is affected by the debris then this can acomerdate  rising damp.

Cavity Wall Inspections

AWT can inspect your cavity walls by drilling small holes in the outer brickwork and using an endoscope to look inside the cavity.

Click here to book a cavity wall inspection.

 

Clearing Bridged Cavities

Cavity cleaning is a specialist job. It requires the removal of  areas of external bricks to allow access to the cavity to enable the removal of the debris.

The structural integrity of the wall needs to be carefully maintained throughout the work.

Loose debris can be removed by removing bricks at intervals across the wall and raking out the unwanted material.

If the cavity is blocked with solid debris then larger areas of brickwork may need to be removed to access the material.

The brickwork is reinstated with the inclusion of new stainless steel wall ties.

 

Wall Tie Cleaning

Where wall tie cleaning is required a single brick is removed. When the wall tie has been cleaned the brick is replaced.

As with all their work, AWT endeavor to match replacement bricks and mortar to the existing finish.

Rising Damp & Bulging Brickwork

The 1950s cavity wall house pictured, had rising damp and a worryingly large bulge in the 1st floor brickwork.

The AWT survey team  discovered that the wall ties were badly rusted. The bulging brickwork was caused by the lack of effective wall ties.

The damp proof course had been compromised by a build up of decayed mortar in the cavity  leading to rising damp.

 

This serious structural problem required the careful dismantling of the bulging brick work. The area was then rebuilt incorporating new non-rusting wall ties.

The remaining brickwork was fitted with remedial wall ties to ensure the structural integrity of the house. The old wall ties were isolated to prevent them from causing any further cracking.

Where necessary, small areas of brickwork were removed and the wall cavity was cleared of debris.

Finally, AWT re-pointed the work areas to match the rest of the brickwork.