Drying out walls

Why dry out walls?

In some homes, the damp that accumulates in the walls can lead to real complications. In effect, the presence of damp weakens the wall materials and causes aesthetic problems on the walls. This humidity will also encourage the appearance of mould and saltpetre, which can affect the health of residents. But that’s not all: the presence of humidity has a direct impact on energy consumption.

If there is damp in a home, the walls need to be dried out to remedy the situation.

Why does a wall become damp?

So what are the causes of damp in a wall? There are 4 main causes of damp: seepage through façades and roofs, condensation, rising damp and damp due to capillarity.

Capillary damp is one of the most damaging causes of damp in a home, as it attacks all layers of material in the affected wall. In effect, poorly insulated walls will systematically drain water from the ground. In such a situation, drying out the walls is essential.

How do you dry out walls?

Fortunately, there are a number of solutions available to professionals for effectively drying out walls. That’s why Groupe Berkem offers professionals in the trade a wide range of products that will dry out walls and treat damp and all rising damp problems.

Groupe Berkem treatments for dry walls

To dry out walls, the Groupe Berkem offers professionals the Xilix Blockaqua range. These products have been developed to drive moisture away from walls by creating continuous, watertight barriers. Produced from silane and siloxane resin, these products are applied directly to the walls of homes. This range is divided into three products:

• Xilix Blockaqua is a resin-based formula that is ready to use straight away, without any further processing
• Xilix Blockaqua cream is a highly concentrated water-repellent cream that is particularly effective on very damp structures and is ready to use straight away.
• Xilix Blockaqua C is a highly concentrated resin-based formula. Unlike other products, this formula must be diluted with water before use.

Groupe Berkem’s complementary treatment to dry out walls

If it is possible to dry the walls directly at the very heart of the structure for optimum efficiency. It is also possible to dry out walls with an application on the outside of the walls. This product complements the products mentioned above:

• Xilix Blockaqua Hydro is a formula that provides protection against the ingress of water and other aqueous substances. This product should therefore be used to prevent further infiltration. This formula does not alter the colour of walls and is based on silane and siloxane resin.