Water in one form or another is probably the most significant cause of decay to the external and internal fabric of buildings. There are many causes of dampness. These are often referred to as rising dampness, penetrating dampness, bridging dampness, condensation and dampness caused by internal leaks from sanitary/plumbing fittings or pipes. In each case, the cause/s of the dampness will need to be identified and suitable repair/replacement works carried out to prevent further dampness. In addition, it will often be necessary to carry out repair/replacement/redecoration works to the external or internal fabric of the building that has been damaged by the dampness. If dampness defects are not remedied, they will only get worse and the future repair costs will be even greater.