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In November 2011 Swift were called to a detached house in Telford. Stains had been appearing on the bathroom ceiling and the householder could smell damp throughout the house.
We were asked to attend to a suspected leak by an insurance company on behalf of their policyholder (the owner of a detached house who was noticing stained ceilings and a damp smell above the bathroom).
When attending to the leak in the detached house, we noticed a slight damp smell as reported by the homeowner to their insurer. On closer inspection, we discovered the ceiling was wet and the plasterboard discolored. The heating system header tank in the loft was found to have a slow drip from the feeder valve, caused by a corroded joint.
The water was initially absorbed by the insulation, but after saturating it had spread onto the plasterboard causing the issue.
The leak had likely been going on for some time to make its way through to the plasterboard, so a repair was crucial to ensure the area wasn’t impacted by damp and water damage.
Unlike many other Swift companies, Swift UK operate as a one-stop shop. Not only can we find and repair leaks, but we can also repair the damage and redecorate so that you get your home back quickly and without having lots of different companies involved in the process.
In January 2012 Swift attended a flat in Stoke-on-Trent. Black mould had appeared on the lounge ceiling and the wall behind the kitchen cupboards smelt of sewage.
When we arrived, the black mould was visible both in the lounge and kitchen but it did not seem to be consistent with the layout of the home of the tenant.
After confirming the problem we decided to analyse the issue from the flat above. We examined their foul pipe stack and discovered a small hole in the foul downpipe.
Every time the flat above flushed the toilet or used the bath, water was escaping from the pipe, running down the outside and into the wall cavity, to the flat below.
The water flowed along the floor and through the kitchen wall causing the black mould in the flat.
We were able to help locate and repair the issue for both flats before it became any worse and the repair and remedial works worked to remove any signs of the mould were smooth and simple.
Unlike many other Swift companies, Swift UK operate as a one-stop shop. Not only can we find and repair leaks, but we can also repair the damage and redecorate so that you get your home back quickly and without having lots of different companies involved in the process.
What is water ingress, and what happened when Swift attended a prestigious development in the centre of London, where several homeowners were experiencing issues?
Water ingress is the term used when water has infiltrated a property (not to be confused with water egress – water leaving the property). It is also commonly used to describe damp caused by moisture in walls and ceilings – penetrating, or lateral damp. The most common signs of water ingress are damp patches and discolouration appearing on walls and ceilings in a property.
Water ingress can present itself in a number of ways, some more obvious than others.
You could also notice external factors that point to water damage, such as
Many people describe ingress in the first instance as water appearing to come into a property through walls and ceilings, but the exact culprit is often unknown without expert advice.
As well as the visual indicators of water damage in a property, you may come across issues such as
Swift attended a prestigious development in the centre of London, where several homeowners were experiencing water ingress.
Being the third tracing service on-site, we set about mapping the building and the site for damage, after reported water ingress.
It became clear that the problem was from an external source due to the pattern and position of the water marks and structure of the building. Our technicians identified that the water was almost certainly from a flat roof garden.
Closer examination of the roof revealed that work carried out about 18 months before had not included re-felting the drain covers inside the culverts, causing the water ingress. This oversight allowed water to run down the exterior of the drain pipes and into the cavities of the flats.
We compiled a full report with recommendations for the original roofing company to re-visit the site.
In June 2013 Swift were asked to attend a 17th century home in the Cotswolds to investigate water marks on the ceiling of the study. The marks had only appeared in the past 3 weeks but were getting steadily worse.
A small hole was made in the ceiling to examine the cavity using a burrow scope and check the pipes for leaks. None were found, however, the underside of the boarding above was wet with the beginning of mould growth.
Above the leak site was a bath mounted on a box plinth. The bath was tested but at first appeared to be intact. However, when the bath was fully filled, water began to drip onto the ceiling below. On closer examination, a hairline crack was found near the overflow.
