What is Rising Damp?
Rising damp is a form of dampness that can be found in buildings, most likely in older structures, that occurs when groundwater negotiates itself inside walls and floors and appears as unsightly damp and mould marks on a wall, usually no more than a metre high.
As the water rises from the ground, nitrates, chloride and sulphate salts, which are soluble in ground water, will travel through building materials. ‘Efflorescence’ is the crystalline deposit of salts often seen on the surface of concrete, brick, stucco or natural stone surfaces. This occurs when water is present on or in the masonry surface. Walls will show damp marks usually no more than one metre high (just over three feet), subject to the geographic position of the property.
Causes of Rising Damp
Rising damp can occur for a number of different reasons. A few examples of these are:
- No damp-proof course has been installed—this is sometimes the case with very old properties.
- External ground levels (such as driveways, paths, pavements etc.) have been raised over a period of years—this then ‘bridges’ the damp-proof course making it ineffective.
- Incorrect installation of a damp-proof course
- Some damp-proof courses have a certain life span. If this life span has been exceeded, failure will occur.
How to treat rising damp?
Whilst easily ignored, any extra moisture entering your property should be dealt with as it will lead to other problems such as dry and wet rots.
To eliminate rising damp, it is necessary to stop capillary action within the building.
Examples of a chemically injected damp-proof course and an installation of a physical damp-proof membrane are available to view here.
If you think your property is being affected by rising damp then contact us today for one of our professionally qualified consultants to visit your property.