What is Rising Damp?
Simply put, rising damp is water from the ground travelling up the bricks. You can usually see a ‘tide mark’ on the outside of walls below which the bricks look and feel wet. Salts and minerals that are drawn up from the ground often settle on the outside of the brick and look like white, dusty patches. Any timber, plaster and paint on the other side of the wall will also absorb the moisture which leads to damage and unsightly marks.
Rotting skirting boards, crumbling plaster and peeling wallpaper are the most common signs that there is a rising damp problem.
Why does Rising Damp Occur?
Rising damp occurs when groundwater rises through a building’s walls through capillary action. This typically happens in structures without an effective damp-proof course or when the existing damp-proofing barrier fails. To stop water from rising through walls, there should be a damp proof course in the mortar horizontally placed between one layer of bricks. This stops the moisture from travelling past it.
In very old properties, there might not have been a damp proof course installed. Or it might have broken down over the decades and is no longer doing the job properly. In some properties, the ground level might have been built up above the damp course so it’s no longer effective.
Our surveyors are highly qualified and with a thorough inspection, they can advise the best action to take. We don’t sell you unnecessary products or services, we only focus on doing the right thing for the customer and property.
How to Treat Rising Damp
The usual way to control rising damp is to install a new damp proof course. This can be done using the injection method which involves chemicals being carefully injected into the mortar bed to prevent moisture from absorbing into the pores of the bricks. This is a long-lasting solution that comes with a guarantee from us.
We are happy to check your damp problems to diagnose the cause. We will let you know if it is a rising damp issue and the best solution for treating it.
Call us for rising damp control in London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Bedfordshire and Cambridge.
