Damp Proofing Treatment

RISING DAMP TREATMENT

Rising damp is an uncommon yet serious issue that can be encountered in many older buildings and properties. If left untreated, rising damp can lead to serious structural damage and major health and safety hazards.

If you believe your home is afflicted with rising damp, then contact a specialist today for immediate advice on rising damp treatment.

What Is Rising Damp?

Rising damp is best defined as a vertical flow of water that permeates through a wall from the ground, upwards. The water (usually the result of excess groundwater) rises up through the walls of a home as it works its way through open pores and capillaries in the masonry and brickwork through a process known as capillary action.

Rising damp can cause serious structural damage to a property, as well as becoming a major health hazard. Rising damp is rare compared to other forms of damp such as condensation and penetrating damp, but rising damp treatment needs to be applied quickly once rising damp has been identified.

What Causes Rising Damp?

Rising damp is caused by water moving through masonry. This water is often excess groundwater that has pooled around the base of a building before leaking into the walls.

It’s often present in older houses where no damp-proof course has ever been installed to prevent water from permeating into the walls. It can also be found in newer houses where the damp-proof course (a sort of impermeable lining) has been broken or damaged, leaving no barrier to groundwater.

What Are the Signs of Rising Damp?

Homeowners can look for several common signs of rising damp in their property. Visible signs can appear on the walls, around skirting boards, doorframes or windows, both inside and outside the house.

Major signs include:

• Water damage
• Wet or damp walls
• Peeling plaster
• Bands of salt on walls (known as tide marks)
• Growth of moss or mould inside and outside
• Musty, damp smells inside the home
• Decaying timbers

Because rising damp works its way upward, it can remain unseen for many months. If you notice the above signs, it means that rising damp has taken hold and needs an effective treatment to be applied quickly.

However the signs of rising damp can be similar to other more common household damp problems, such as excess condensation and penetrating damp. Because rising damp is more serious, it’s important to have professional identification to be sure whether or not your problem is caused by rising damp.

Rising Damp on Internal Walls

Rising damp is commonly spotted first inside the home, on internal walls. That’s because it’s more obvious inside than out, although it affects both internal and external structures.

The most common signs inside the home are tide marks of salt or damp on internal walls, as well as peeling plaster and musty smells.

Rising Damp on External Walls

External rising damp is often more difficult to spot, but is just as dangerous as internal damp. External walls afflicted with rising damp often start to crumble or even crack.

Tide marks may be visible on external walls as well as internal walls, while external timbers may show visible signs of decay. Areas of rising damp are also likely to attract patches of moss or other growths outdoors.

Buying a House With Rising Damp

Rising damp is a serious problem and prospective buyers need to be wary about purchasing any property with a rising damp issue.

Before purchasing, have a damp and timber survey carried out by professional surveyors, such as CS Damp proofing.

If rising damp is present, you need to ask the current owner to fix the problems or negotiate a discount that takes into account the cost of repairs.

Renting a House With Rising Damp

If you rent a house that has rising damp, this is a serious structural issue that is the landlord’s responsibility.

Rising damp can be dangerous, in terms of both a building’s structure and health hazards. Tenants should never have to pay to fix rising damp or have to put up with living in a property where it is present.

TREATING RISING DAMP

The treatment of rising damp varies depending on the severity of the damp and each individual case. Examples of the treatments CS Damp proofing use are;

• Removing the surrounding soil or bridging material to be a minimum of 150mm
• below the existing Damp Proof Course
• Inject a Chemical Damp Proof Course
• Replace any damp or rotten flooring
• Remove and replace any plaster work, skirting boards, radiators etc. if necessary.