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The Idea
Like all great innovations - the DampProtex story involves a problem, a journey, and a solution so obvious and beautifully simple it seems ludicrous that no-one has thought of it before.
A builder by trade, Richard Alderson, founder and Managing Director of DampProtex, had long been aware of the devastation caused by damp, but was unconvinced of the necessity for traditional, invasive solutions for all cases.
On an outdoor pursuits trip to the Shetlands, Richard noticed the affect the harsh climate was having on local buildings. Investigation led to the discovery that signs of decay and discolouration to exterior stone and brickwork often led to extreme interior problems, such as condensation, tidemarks, and blistered or cracked plaster.
After studying similarly exposed properties at home in Yorkshire, Richard identified that the majority of common damp problems were caused by penetrating damp - rain driving through external walls and pouring through into cavities.
Existing solutions to tackling penetrating damp were slow, cumbersome and did little to guarantee protection. So Richard devised a coating formula - double the strength of rival products which had the added advantage of allowed masonry and cavities to breath and dry - and tested it successfully in the extreme Northern climates of Scandinavia, and again, in the Shetlands.
Applying the solution led to the next obstacle. Using a brush and ladder proved a slow and dangerous method (due to the slippery nature of the product when wet). So a patented pump and spray system was devised, and proved so effective entire houses could be coated in a fifth of the time previously possible. And with these two simple innovations, DampProtex was born.
Now why didn't I think of that?
Richard Alderson signature
Managing Director, DampProtex
