Specialist damp diagnosis is at the heart of what we do, but that doesn’t mean we can’t always learn more and improve our service.
So this week our MD Bryan Hindle was joined by industry trainer and head examiner of the PCA Graham Coleman, for two days of advanced damp diagnosis lab training…
Graham Coleman is vastly experienced and has a scientific background is research into Death Watch Beetle and damp proofing methods and materials. He is renowned in the preservation industry for his skill in teaching damp, timber and waterproofing to students via on-site presentations and the Property Care Association’s range of dedicated courses.
He’s also a good friend of Bryan’s and they like to get together and talk all things preservation whenever they can.
On Monday, Graham arrived to spend a couple of days; looking over our specialist damp diagnostic laboratory and help us get the best from the equipment and refine our diagnostic methods.
Gravimetric testing for damp diagnosis was covered and salt analysis using materials and lab equipment ordered specially, on Graham’s instructions.
The lab is our latest acquisition, enabling a scientific approach to finding out the type and quantities of salts present in plaster and masonry. This is combined with our ability to accurately measure the exact distribution of water in walls and separate out that which is due to the effects of ground salts (if any).
This is so important because dampness problems cannot be solved without accurate specialist damp diagnosis – get the cause of the damp wrong and the solution will never work.
On Wednesday we finished with a few hours working on the computer with data modelling software, capable of predicting the effects of changes in a house’s internal environment; given our previous capture of long term humidity and temperature measurements. Presentation for clients was covered too; tidying up our graphs of moisture vapour pressure distribution, to make sure clients can better understand the issues involved.
This all adds up to a few days well spent and we are grateful to Graham for all his help in improving our service.
It was a pleasure to have Graham as our guest in Yorkshire and we look forward to our next damp diagnosis training day.
Clients requiring our advanced damp diagnostic service in Yorkshire should call Bryan in the first instance for a discussion and a quote.
