Shaw Preservations - woodworm removal, fungal decay, rising damp, cellar waterproofing, hoop iron removal

FAQ's

Wall Ties
Metal wall ties provide structural strength and stability in buildings with cavity walls. These ties are normally constructed of steel with or without a sacrificial galvanized zinc coating. The structural stability of the building is very dependant on the conditions of these wall ties. Advanced corrosion can cause damage to the structure and if ignored could lead to wall ties failure resulting in the outer wall bulging, becoming unstable with the possibility of collapse.

Hoop Iron
Hoop irons were a system of reinforcement designed to provide additional strength in building following the introduction of cavity wall in the mid 19th century Hoop irons are long steel strips laid horizontally in the brickwork mortar joint

In time, these steel strips corrode and expand causing long horizontal cracks allowing water ingress in to the cavity wall. This water ingress encourages hoop iron corrosion and introduces dampness and decay into the fabric of the building.

Rising Damp
Rising damp is caused by moisture and salts from the ground rising by capillary action through porous masonry. This will occur due to an ineffective damp proof course (DPC), or through exterior ground levels being too high. The rising damp will evaporate into the building leaving high concentrations of salt on the surface of the inside wall. Following the replacement of the ineffective DPC, the salt contamination will continue to attract atmospheric moisture from inside the property. These contaminated plasters and render coats must be removed and replaced with salt retardant plasters as part of the remedial process.

Woodworm The term woodworm is used as a general description of several species of wood boring insects. The most usual being the Common Furniture Beetle. An infestation starts with the adult beetle laying eggs in the crevices of the timber. These hatch and the resulting larvae tunnel into the timber and Following pupation, the adult beetles emerge through tiny circular flight holes to continue the cycle and spreading the infestation.The first visual indication will be the appearance of these flight holes accompanied by bore dust
Dry Rot Dry rot is the most serious of decay to be found in buildings. Damp timbers with inadequate ventilation are the most susceptible to dry rot attack. Once established the dry rot will spread rapidly growing through plaster, brickwork and masonry, in search of further timbers to attack. Infected timbers will become dry, crack and lose their natural strength, and if left untreated, may lead to structural failure.
Wet Rot There are several fungi species of wet rot, which flourish, in extremely damp conditions. Particular timbers which are susceptible to wet rot fungi attack are:- Skirting Boards, Joists, Wall plates (rising damp) Roofing timbers, Window frames, Fascia and Soffit Boards (rain water penetration)
Tanking Tanking is a technique of applying a waterproof lining to areas of a building that are partially or wholly below ground or water levels. This process enables a normally un-inhabitable wasted part of a building to be successfully transformed into a usable functional area.


British Wood Preservation & Damp-proofing Association	Property Care Association	Surrey Trading Standards Approved List	Structural Waterproofing Group	Governments Approved Scheme	Guarantee Protection Insurance Company