Dampness at home is an unbearable problem, anyone who lives with it knows it, and it seems easy to get rid of, it looks simple… until it is not. You see a stain, mold appears, the paint starts to peel, and the first thing you think is “I’ll paint over it.” Spoiler: it almost never works.
That is why the trick popularized by architect Máximo Caballero has attracted so much attention. It does not require construction work, strange devices, or spending money, which we like the most, and you only need aluminum foil, something we all have in our kitchen. Since sharing is caring, we are also going to tell you how this trick works.
Problems with dampness
Not all dampness is the same, but we usually treat it as if it were. We paint, apply anti mold products, or simply cover the damp area thinking it will go away, but the problem comes back, and every time it does, it gets worse. Experts now confirm that the most common mistake is confusing the symptom with the cause.
Three types of dampness
To understand the trick, it helps to be clear about why dampness appears:
- Condensation: indoor vapor (showers, cooking, breathing…) hits cold walls.
- Infiltration: water enters from outside through cracks, facades, roofs, or poorly sealed joints.
- Capillarity: moisture rises from the ground through the walls, as if it were slowly climbing.
The aluminum foil trick
And this is where aluminum foil comes in to save us with this trick:
- Cut a piece of aluminum foil.
- Stick it well to the wall with adhesive tape, making sure it is sealed.
- Leave it there for about 48 hours.
- Remove it and observe.
Where does the moisture appear? Water outside the foil
This is where the trick becomes magical. If there is water on the outside of the foil and the wall behind it is dry, you should know that it is probably condensation from the indoor environment of the house.
This happens a lot in poorly ventilated apartments, bathrooms without extractors, closed kitchens, or very airtight homes. The vapor stays inside and looks for a way out, usually through the walls. You will not need construction work, just better ventilation, using extractors, or placing a dehumidifier, as simple as that.
And be careful, because waterproofing in this case not only does not help, it can make the problem worse.
If there is water between the foil and the wall
Then yes, the dampness is coming from the wall itself, from outside or from the ground. Here we are talking about infiltration or capillarity.
If the moisture comes from the structure, there are no miracles. It could be due to a damaged facade, a roof in poor condition, deteriorated joints, or moisture rising from the ground.
In these cases, painting or covering it is like putting a band aid on a leak, it is useless.
If you do not eliminate the cause, the dampness always comes back. Covering stains is tempting, quick, and cheap, but it does not work.
A trick to save money
This method does not replace a professional, but it is a great compass to know the cause before spending money on renovations, although sometimes a renovation is not a bad idea, since many houses are quite outdated.
So a piece of foil can be the difference between ventilating better or tearing down an entire wall.
And honestly, dampness does not only make our homes look ugly, it can also cause respiratory problems, allergies, and more. It is definitely not good. So the first step is to detect the origin in order to put an end to it.
If you have dampness at home, do not hesitate to try this trick and tell us the result.
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