Permanent, full-time role
Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm
Based: Paisley, covering Central Scotland

Basic salary of £31,200 plus pension, life insurance, and health care.

Requirements:

As a Joiner Technician, you’ll be serving our customers across the Central Belt of Scotland in a company van as part of a team, and therefore you need a UK driving licence to become one of our Joiner Technicians. Travel further afield may also be required, subject to workload.

What your day may consist of:

• Prepping your van stock for the day ahead.
• Supervising the technician on your team and encouraging their development on the job.
• You will hack-off plaster, prior to installing damp proof courses or installing membrane.
• You will be required to carry out timber treatments such as woodworm sprays and fungal decay work.
• You will strip and replace timber floors, door frames, architraves, windows, and doors, plus joist replacement.
• Our technicians also carry out basement waterproofing work, and structural defects repairs.
• There may be a requirement to work away from home as and when required by business needs.

What we need you to have:

• Experience working as a Joiner, Carpenter or a Preservation Technician preferred.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Full UK Manual Driving Licence for at least 2 years with no more than 3 penalty points
• A can-do attitude, and able to use your own initiative in challenging situations.
• Great communication and customer service skills with a keen, enthusiastic, and friendly approach.
• Team player who wants to be part of a growing business.

Benefits:

• Company van during work hours, fuel card, uniform, and tools.
• Quarterly team building days – out of business and fun related.
• Annual performance review with the opportunity of a bonus.
• Training on the job and chance to develop your skills.
• Life Insurance.
• Health Care.
• Pension.

 

To apply, please email CV to info@mathesondampservices.co.uk

What is rising damp?

Rising damp is the common name for water that seeps through a building’s fabric and brick walls after being absorbed from the nearby ground. We refer to this mechanism as capillary action.

If you have rising damp in your home, this suggests that a damp proof course that should be protecting your ground floor walls from groundwater intrusion is either cracked, bridged, or absent. Naturally, your interior walls will develop damp stains as a result but rising moisture might actually be a more serious issue with your home.

What causes rising damp?

Often, rising damp is caused by a damp proof channel that has failed, been bridged, or is completely absent. Older properties frequently experience rising damp, a problem that is uncommon in recent construction. Typically, when a property exhibits symptoms, the Damp Proof Course (DPC) has been compromised, but depending on the building’s location and environment, this may not always be the case.

What does rising damp look like?

Rising damp is typically first identified by the harm to a building’s interior walls. Wallpaper has a tendency to become loose and plaster and paint might deteriorate. At the point where ground water has reached, a noticeable stain is often visible on the wall in the shape of a tide mark.

Externally, the walls may develop white salt streaks and the mortar may disintegrate.

Several important factors determine the height that the water reaches. These include the rate of evaporation and the brick and mortar’s pore structure. The water will be able to climb higher in masonry with a higher proportion of fine pores than it can in masonry with fewer pores. Rising damp can occur up to 1.5 metres and, in certain extremely rare cases, much higher.

How to treat rising damp

The most common and effective way to treat rising damp is to install a remedial damp proof course. This is typically done by injecting a water repellent damp proof cream into the mortar bed joint of walls that are affected.

Treating rising damp will ensure the walls in your home dry out and rising damp is remedied. At Matheson Damp Services, we have over 17 years of experience in providing professional and affordable damp proofing and specialist damp solutions. If you have rising damp in your property, it’s important to call in experienced damp proof specialists.

Call us now on 07898 010 682 to book a damp survey in central Scotland.

What is dry rot?

Dry rot is considered the most harmful type of fungal degradation found in buildings. It attacks the wood in buildings and eats the components that give the wood its strength. Even without a source of moisture, dry rot can spread as it can produce moisture through the digestion of wood. As soon as dry rot begins to develop, the building’s structural stability may suffer significant harm.

If you suspect that you may have dry rot, you should make arrangements for a specialist (like our team at Matheson Damp Services) to conduct a survey and treat it ASAP. All of the afflicted wood might need to be removed and replaced if the dry rot is not quickly recognised and treated.

What does dry rot look like?

Dry rot has a distinctive appearance so can be spotted fairly easily. The following are some possible signs of dry rot:

• White mycelium that is fine and fluffy spreading across the wood
• A grey/white”skin,” which is flecked with yellow and lilac areas
• Fruiting body that resembles a mushroom and is soft, fleshy, and frequently orange in colour and has broad pores
• Red spore dust is frequently observed near fruiting bodies

What causes dry rot?

Dry rot is caused when airborne spores come into contact with damp wood that has a moisture level of more than 20%. Following their germination, these spores produce strands of grey root hyphae. The hyphae develop into mycelium, which coats the wood in a thick material resembling cotton wool. The fungus weakens the wood by eating it and sucking the moisture out of it. The fungus subsequently develops into a sporophore, a fruiting body that produces other spores to complete the life cycle.

Dry rot spores develop into wood-eating fungus, which thrives in moist, damp, poorly ventilated environments. Timber in the house may be wet for a variety of causes, such as penetrating damp, condensation, leaking pipes, poor drainage, and a damaged roof.

Is dry rot dangerous?

Dry rot is one of the most harmful timber fungus, not just because it threatens the structural integrity of your building but also because of the underlying damp issue it symbolises. While dry rot by itself won’t pose a significant threat to health, it can lead to expensive structural damage that eventually becomes a health danger.

What is the difference between wet and dry rot?

There are two different kinds of fungi: wet rot and dry rot. Wet rot requires a higher moisture content to flourish than dry rot, which is one of their key distinctions. The dry rot fungus will germinate at a lower timber moisture level of between 20% and 30% while the wet rot fungus prefers to develop on wood with a high moisture content of around 50% and above.

There are numerous varieties of wet rot, but there is only one variety of dry rot fungus.

How to treat dry rot

To treat dry rot, you must first remove the source of moisture that created the conditions for rot and fungal growth in the first place.  Next, remove plaster and timber infested with fungus and spores before applying a fungicide treatment and fixing any structural integrity issues. This may involve the removal and replacement of structural and decorative timbers.

If you suspect you have dry rot in your property, it’s important to call in experienced damp-proof specialists like Matheson Damp Services.

Call us now on 07898 010 682 to book a damp survey in central Scotland.

What is mould?

A specific type of fungus called mould grows from spores carried by the air. Mould typically thrives in warm, humid environments with little airflow, which is why loft areas and bathrooms in homes are frequently affected. Mould on walls is frequently only the result of humidity and a lack of air, but occasionally, plumbing leaks both inside and outside the building can be to blame. Moisture build-up behind the walls can also be brought on by poorly insulated heating lines.

The most typical form of black mould that grows on walls is known as mildew. If left untreated, these spots can eventually spread to cover larger regions. Apply some bleach to the afflicted area using a cloth to check for mildew on your walls. Mildew is present if the black colour disappears after a few minutes. Otherwise, the patch is most likely just dirt.

How to get rid of mould

Moulds are unsightly and destructive, and if they go unchecked, they may also result in irreparable damage to fabrics, furnishings, and decorations, as well as deteriorate the air quality. Long-term exposure to moulds or their surroundings can be hazardous and even cause health problems, especially in the most vulnerable, such as young children, the elderly, or those with weakened or damaged immune systems.

Depending on the extent of your mould problem, you may be able to remove mould in your home using simple cleaning products and introducing better ventilation. In some cases though, you will need expert help. Learn more about Matheson Damp Services mould removal.

What causes mould?     

In addition to broken or breached damp proof courses, cracked roof tiles, guttering issues, mortar and joint fractures, broken and cracked lead flashing, broken and compromised or ineffective drains, etc., there are other factors that might contribute to damp and mould in your property. Even if the initial source of the water was fixed, damp walls can struggle to dry out if one of these factors is combined with inadequate ventilation (poor or non-existent air movement).

How to remove mould 

For black mould, it’s important to call in the experts at Matheson Damp Services to avoid disrupting the toxic spores and to get to the root of the damp problem. Less severe mould from poor ventilation can be treated using a variety of methods. Purchase a ready-made solution or create your own.

Homemade wall mould solutions

1. Mix four parts water to one part bleach
2. Spray the area
3. Use a brush to scrub the mould
4. Dry the area after wiping it down with a moist cloth.

If you don’t like to use bleach in the home, there are several substitutes, including white distilled vinegar and baking soda.

If you have a mould problem in Scotland and need our help, contact us now on 07898 010 682 or email us on info@mathesondampservices.co.uk

What is condensation?

Condensation is the transformation of water vapour into liquid. The process is the opposite of evaporation, in which liquid water turns into a vapour. When moisture in the air comes into touch with a cold surface, like a window, it condenses (creates liquid water droplets). We all occasionally get condensation on our windows, but if it goes away soon, this isn’t usually an issue.

Issues arise if the water accumulates to the point that it begins to cause damage. Additionally, you might not see it until the wallpaper starts to peel or black mould begins to form if it’s accumulating elsewhere other than on the window. Condensation is more likely to occur in areas of the house that are colder than the rest of it, such as exposed corners or spaces where the insulation is missing, and where the air can’t move around freely.

How to stop condensation

The key to stopping condensation is quite a simple one – ensure there’s an escape for moisture in your home.

Condensation can happen in any house, whether it’s a small flat or a castle. It can be a major headache and in addition to causing damage to furniture and clothing, it can also set off health issues like asthma. It’s best to address the issue of condensation as soon as you see it vs waiting for it to further develop into dampness.

So how can you eliminate condensation? 

• Keep moisture in your home to a minimum by keeping lids on pots when cooking, drying items outside when possible, and, if you use a tumble dryer, ensuring that it is vented to the outside.
• Use an extractor fan while you are cooking, taking a shower, or taking a bath and leave any window vents open. Ensure no vents are blocked off to ensure that the damp air is expelled from the house.
• Allow spaces between furniture and the wall so that air may flow.
• Avoid having cold areas; for instance, if there is a gap between the insulation in your wall and loft, attempt to reduce the gap since this can encourage condensation and perhaps even mould.
• A new outdoor vent in a troublesome location or an additional extractor fan could help resolve a condensation problem.
• In addition, if you’re hiring a professional to install insulation, draught-proofing, new windows, or doors, ask them what they’ve done to ensure that ventilation will still be adequate.

What causes condensation on windows?

We can’t see the numerous small water droplets in the air surrounding us. As humidity increases, so does the concentration of water, which increases the likelihood that it may “condense” on surfaces.

On a hot day, picture an iced glass of water that appears to be perspiring. This happens as a result of the moisture in warm air hitting the glass’ cool surface.

The molecules in warm air are widely spaced apart, which “retains” the moisture, whereas the molecules in chilly air are closer together. The molecules combine into a liquid when they are sufficiently close to one another. This is referred to as the “dew point.”

How to stop condensation on windows

Over the past thirty years, homes have significantly improved their energy efficiency, which has led to many of them becoming sealed structures that retain moisture.

Despite improving at storing heat, we have eliminated natural ventilation from homes.

Condensation on windows can be permanently removed by:

• better ventilation
• lowering the moisture
• installing windows with double- or triple-glazing

How to stop condensation on walls

Fixing condensation on walls frequently involves making a few easy lifestyle adjustments that improve the home’s air ventilation and circulation. Here are a few simple things to try:

• Try to open the windows as often as you can.
• Make sure the vents or air bricks in your home are clear.
• If it’s possible, dry your items outside.
• Utilise extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen.
• To allow for circulation, try to leave at least a 100mm space between furniture and the wall.

Seek expert help

If you’re concerned about condensation in your property or have already found signs of mould or damage, it’s important to speak to the experts. At Matheson Damp Services, we’re on hand to help with all of your damp needs. We offer damp surveys in Scotland. Read more about mould and condensation here.