Damp basements are one of those facts of life which homeowners don't actually have to shrug their shoulders and live with. In older homes, this is a common problem; and of course, London is filled with older basements which predate the modern damp proofing London homeowners are now fortunate enough to have. There are now alternatives to living with a damp basement as well as the mold and unpleasant musty odors which can make your basement nearly unusable and your home a less pleasant place to live than it has to be.

Thanks to basement tanking London homeowners can return their basement to a dry, clean and pleasant place for storage, a home workshop or office or even as additional living space. You may have rising damp in your basement from the floor as well as the retaining walls in your cellar; characteristic signs that your home is in need of basement tanking include staining on the walls, peeling or lifting wallpaper (if your basement is wallpapered), crystals forming on the walls as the result of minerals being deposited as water evaporates and most obviously, visible dampness on the floor or walls of your basement.

With damp proofing London homeowners can prevent rising damp, dry rot and other moisture related problems which are very common in the basements of older houses in and around London. Companies like the Notting Hill-based Guardian provide a three step process of basement tanking London homes which are suffering from this common yet potentially hazardous problem.

Moist basements provide the ideal environment for the growth of mold; damp and dark, they really couldn't ask for more. While many forms of mold are simply an annoyance, some types of black mold are toxic to humans and animals, causing some very serious health problems and requiring the services of an experienced dampness remediation firm. Not only can rising damp threaten to drive you from your basement, it could lead to mold growth that has driven families out of their homes out of concern for their well being.

The most effective types of basement tanking London homes with moisture problems need involve using a mixture of different methods to provide a comprehensive damp proofing solution. This often includes injecting a material into water-permeable surfaces underneath floorboards and behind walls to form a moisture proof seal, removal of the water damaged plaster and other materials as well as clearing away all of this material and finally, re-plastering the areas which had been damaged by moisture or mold with a more water proof type of plastering material.

This is a process which is necessary to removing the existing water damaged walls or flooring material, replacing them with more resistant ones and preventing the rising damp problem from recurring; something which can be a problem with some "quick fixes". Damp proofing London houses let homeowners reclaim their basements once and for all and have the full run of their homes, not fight an unending battle against a damp basement. For effective damp proofing and basement tanking London homes deserve better; seek out the services of a professional tanking firm such as Guardian and get your basement back.