Some of the items our team will inspect include the internal walls, ceilings, floors, coverings, doors, windows, lights, switches and many more; from major defects to smaller details. For example, interior doors will be reported if they operate easily and latch properly, if they are damaged or decayed or have broken hardware.
In this case a major leakage was inspected on the wall in between the en-suite shower and the bedroom. You may not even notice a leak; yet in most cases your building shows signs of attention. Early symptoms and prompt steps to restore will help to prevent future problems which will bring more serious issues and costs.
Moisture & Mold.
A leak, however small, is not something to be ignored. Although you might not notice water damage immediately, mold growth and bacterial growth can begin within 24 - 48 hours of a moisture intrusion. Also, sometimes due to condensation, damp patches suddenly appear on walls. Making our properties more airtight with double glazing windows or damp-proofing also causes water moisture to build up indoors and humidity levels to increase. Damp houses have been proved beyond any doubt to cause respiratory illnesses, and a host of other illnesses, too.
Openings - Air Leakages
Entry doors are often a home's showpiece, but unfortunately many of them can leak both air and heat, contributing to remarkable losses in energy costs over time.In the case shown here, the wooden door and its frame have not been installed or sealed properly. A gap of this size leads to significant air leakage; this means excessive energy loss, which leads to subsequent heating and cooling costs.
Fixing such problems can often be easy, with potentially huge energy saving benefits. You need to know your potential home’s problems in order to be proactive, efficient and save money.
Interior Wall Damage – Hidden Plumbing Leakages
This is an internal photo from an apartment in Nicosia, located on the ground-floor of a block of flats
The owner was under the impression that this wall damage was created due to last season’s heavy rainfalls. However, after taking moisture-level readings this summer, we encouraged to check the plumbing installations of the flat on the next level, where it was discovered that the damage was actually caused by a leakage in the kitchen’s sink above. Hidden drain leaks can create serious damage in your interiors, before they get noticed and fixed.
The necessary steps were taken to solve this issue and avoid future unpleasant surprises on our client’s interior walls. .
At a recent inspection, the gypsum ceiling had a stain where evidently water leaked (and/or still leaks) and requires immediate action, to prevent – additional unanticipated – costs and repairs.
Specific measures need to be taken to:
1. Identify the source of moisture and leakage and restore 2. Make sure your electrical installation is not affected to avoid possible outages or accidents 3. The water or moisture to which the gypsum board was exposed was uncontaminated 4. The gypsum board must be dried thoroughly before mould growth begins. A replacement of the specific part may be necessary 5. The gypsum board is structurally sound and there is no evidence of rusting fasteners or physical damage that would diminish the physical properties of the whole system.