Pipetek SL

Pipetek, the experts in drain clearing on the Costa del Sol, have appeared on Eye On Spain’s The Siesta Show to share with viewers tips on spotting and treating damp: an issue that is becoming more and more prevalent in Spanish properties. Jim Fraser, Managing Director of the drainage and water leak detection company (www.pipetek.net), gives this free ‘damp course’ over two shows, in a bid to highlight ways property owners can detect and deal with damp in Spain.

Jim Fraser explains that through Pipetek’s servicing of drains in Andalucia, the company became aware of a burgeoning problem within Spanish properties, particularly newly built properties. Damp on the Costa del Sol may seem incongruous, but in fact two of the three types of damp, penetrating damp and condensation-caused damp (rising damp, while common in the UK, is relatively rare in Spain), are rife and in some cases causing irreparable damage. Towards the end of 2007 and throughout 2008, Pipetek saw a significantly increased number of damp-related call-outs. Now, conducting damp investigations and providing individuals, urbanisation officials and insurance companies with the resulting technical reports is a core part of their service. Jim Fraser is clear that, in their expert opinion and having analysed hundreds of reports’ worth of evidence, the damp in Spain is caused by poor construction techniques abounding in the recent construction boom. Jim is also very clear about the ramifications: he has seen many property “dreams shattered” with “entire properties obliterated” by damp.

These shows are far from doom and gloom, however. Instead, Jim guides us through what to do with regard to our own properties, potentially saving owners thousands of euros. Jim shows us a number of different properties with serious damp problems and talks us through the sources of damp in each.

Penetrating damp caused by defective services in the property is common: one property had a defective foul system with the blockage causing moisture to penetrate into the substructure of the building; while another’s electrical supply had brought water in through the conduits after torrential rain. Jim explained that hidden buried chambers are common underneath newly built properties in Spain, and when they are blocked (often with old building materials left from the construction) they can often lead to damp ingress in ground-floor properties.

In some of these cases the damp was so bad that it rendered the property completely uninhabitable, a sobering thought when faced with the simple – and free – tips that Jim went on to explain could have detected the damp issue before real damage was done. A simple flow test of your drainage system can alert you to potential troubles. Simply flush a toilet and go straight outside to the manhole cover over your property’s drains, lift it (with care) and check that there is water flowing. This may seem simple, but seeing that there is a problem with the flow will allow you to address the issue before damp has had a chance to penetrate.

Condensation is another common cause of damp and is difficult to avoid in the hot and humid conditions of Southern Spain, especially considering that 10kg of moisture is created per person per day in a normal household. Jim has more free and simple advice here: know how to identify this type of damp and treat it with a bleach-based cleaning fluid. Other simple tips include using de-humidifiers and silica gel packs.

Damp on the Costa del Sol seems to be taking hold, but take Pipetek’s ‘damp course’ by watching their appearance on The Siesta Show (www.eyeonspain.com/tv, programmes 39 and 40) and you can help protect your home against this insidious problem. To find out about the full range of services that Pipetek offer, from drain clearing in Andalucia to water leaks on the Costa del Sol, visit www.pipetek.net.

Did you know that poor drainage or water leaks are often the underlying causes of damp in properties? Pipetek (www.pipetek.net), the experts to call for a blocked drain in Spain, are also who to call when your property has damp. Their investigative and holistic approach to diagnosing damp includes full examination of all drains, pipes and potential leaks or drainage issues that could well be the root cause.

Pipetek have long been the go-to company when it comes to drain clearing on the Costa del Sol or a water leak in Andalucia, but they are also often called in to assess the increasing problem of properties with damp in Spain. Last year, the company saw a marked increase in the number of call-outs to properties ridden with damp, mainly new-builds which were manifesting problems caused by inadequate drainage factored into the build plan, or shoddy construction in general. Given the proliferation of new builds in recent years, particularly in the coastal areas, these damp problems have been keeping the Pipetek team busy.

Utilising state-of-the-art CCTV surveying equipment and strategic analysis, Pipetek can get to the root cause of the damp. They check the supply of services, any possible root ingress problem and search for underground cavities left by the builders at the time of construction – a potential breeding ground for moisture and subsequent damp. Their years of experience assessing all levels, types and causes of damp in Spain, allows them to expertly advise as to the treatment of the damp and ongoing preventative care of the property. Detailed analytical reports are provided to each client, outlining all methods, findings and recommendations, often with accompanying photographic evidence and CCTV results.

Contact Pipetek to find out more about how their services run from damp on the Costa del Sol to blocked drains in and around Andalucia. Visit www.pipetek.net for a full list of their services.

The last decade has seen a construction boom in Spain largely to cater for the many expats seeking a sun-soaked life on the beautiful costas. Until the recent economic downturn, new developments seemed to appear almost overnight, such was the speed and spread of new-build properties in Spain. Not many of the proud new owners of these properties would have even considered that damp could become an issue in their home; surely not in a brand new construction in one of the warmest and driest climates in Europe? But damp in Spain is becoming a very real and costly problem in many new-builds, as drain and damp experts, Pipetek (www.pipetek.net) have discovered.

Managing Director of Andalucia-based Pipetek SL, Jim Fraser, explains: “The massive building boom in Spain has seen some builders cut corners in their rush to complete developments. This has been a problem in some new-builds for years, but until recently it was poor finishing and attention to detail that would suffer, rather than anything more serious. But we saw a significant increase in call-outs for damp-related issues in new-build properties throughout 2008 and a pattern has begun to emerge of a worrying link between shoddy construction and ongoing damp problems”.

This increasing problem is popping up all along the costas of Andalucia, according to the technical reports from Pipetek. These detailed and unbiased technical reports are provided to each client following a call-out and any work undertaken for any issues relating to pipes or drainage. More and more of these reports are showing findings of damp in properties that would never normally be afflicted. Fraser is certain that in most cases, the culprit is rushed and poor construction. “We assess each client and each issue independently and without presumption. We combine years of experience in  

pipe and drain clearing in Andalucia with state-of-the-art CCTV surveying and camera analysis to come to the root cause of the problem. We have been staggered by the amount of damp on the Costa del Sol and other coasts in Andalucia, most of which are in new-builds.” Pipetek issued 120 technical reports on damp issues in 2008 alone; 70% of which were on newly constructed buildings.

Fraser and other experts agree that the most likely cause is a slap-dash approach to building new developments along the coast as quickly as possible to cater for the huge demand. This greedy and shoddy approach by some construction companies may become a thing of the past now demand has decreased in the downturn, but the legacy of cutting corners is unfortunately going to be felt by many home owners who may start to wonder if they have in fact moved to the Costa del Damp.

Pipetek are experts in everything to do with pipes and drainage, and carry out work in and around Andalucia, whether it’s a blocked drain or a water leak. If you have a problem with damp in Spain, or drains in Andalucia, visit www.pipetek.net for more information.