Rising Damp?????

We sometimes find ourselves undertaking surveys for work that was undertaken by contractors and has failed to stop the problem. It seems in many cases, contractors first response to a damp problem is injection. Fluid injection has very little chance of being successful, due to the way a property is constructed. Damp proofing silicon fluids have to be injected in the mortar line so it can migrate laterally without a break, and there's the problem. Achieving a perfect water proof seal along a mortar line is highly unlikely. Just drilling holes in a wall and pumping fluid in, is likely to do more damage than good. Play safe and get a professional, qualified survey with pureAzone by filling in the form below.

Water cannot defy gravity, correct?

The common reaction to moisture laden walls is Rising Damp. Is this possible, is water actually defeating gravity? There has been much discussion between architects and architectural associations as to whether this is possible for water to rise above the water table without any help. So lets take a look.

Rising damp as a phrase is common place and it is the most used phrase by many contractors when seeing moisture patches on walls. Yes we all agree that if a moisture meter is placed on a moisture laden wall it will activate. The meter registered water so what else can be causing it but rising damp, a damp course must be installed correct, sorry wrong.

For water to rise above the water table, it requires assistance, it cannot defeat gravity by itself. One very common problem is salt, this can come from the building materials and air quality within the property.

Surface waters average about 38 parts per thousand except in the western regions, where. the salinity can approach 40 parts per thousand during the summer.

The salt is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water. And salt increases the ability of water to carry electrons, which get corrosive when a redox reaction occurs (reduction and oxidation).

Once salt settled on a wall, it will draw in moisture from the air and any localised nearby water source which will assist it to rise up the walls both internally and externally, usually to a height of .08 of a meter, from then on travel laterally.

So what about a damp course? A damp course will have zero effect in controlling the moisture as it travels up on the outer side of the wall, usually through the finishing plaster. So what about applying moister resistant plaster? We in such cases, you are just hiding the problem, similar to dry lining installations. When used to cover up moisture laden walls, this is bad practise, as a damp wall can loose up to 50% of it load bearing ability and you will introduce airborne pollutants into the property.

So is there such a thing as unassisted rising damp coming up from the foundation, I am afraid not.

Be sure to employ a qualified technician for surveys in all structural matters, not someone looking for a job.