Rising Damp & its Control in Manchester
What is Rising Damp? Rising damp in buildings may be defined as the upwards flow of moisture through a permeable wall structure, the moisture being derived from groundwater. The moisture rises through the pores (capillaries) in the masonry by a process loosely termed 'capillarity', which causes the masonry to act like a wick. Decorative Spoiling - Moisture and ground salts introduced by rising damp can cause wallpaper to peel, plaster to deteriorate, and paint to blister. What Causes Rising Damp? Rising damp occurs when moisture from the ground is "sucked" into the porous building materials from which walls are constructed through a process known as "capillarity." This effect can be demonstrated by placing a sample of brick, mortar, or porous stone in a shallow tray of water Stopping the Source of Dampness In order to stop the progress of rising damp through a wall, it is necessary to create a new dampproof course. Installing a new physical dampproof course into an existing wall can be hazardous, expensive and impractical in many situations (e.g. party walls). Older pressure pump injection methods directly into the brick are also time consuming and often ineffective. The most practical and effective way to create a new dampproof course in a wall is to make an existing mortar course into a waterproof barrier using high strength dampproofing creams or rods RISING DAMP blisters paint work peels wallpaper encourages dry rot and smells bad too. Assessment of Dampness in Buildings The Survey It is essential when investigating the potential for rising dampness to eliminate other sources of water ingress. A guide to the approach to be adopted for a damp survey is as below. Care must be taken to eliminate other potential sources of moisture, especially condensation in the colder months, and it is therefore essential to ensure that a full investigation is always undertaken. If any other sources are identified then these must be first eliminated before a proper assessment of any rising dampness can be made as it can be very difficult to distinguish between two or more interfering sources of water ingress. Should it be noted that previous damp-proofing works have been undertaken then it is essential to take great care ensuring that the evidence of dampness is correctly evaluated. Remove all skirting's and architraves as outlined in the survey report. Remove plaster back to masonry to the height specified in the survey report, but this should not be less than 300 mm above the maximum level of the visual rising dampness and/or salt contaminated plaster. Remove any timber fixing grounds that are present in the masonry, Proceed with the application of Dryzone Damp-Proofing course Replastering System Rough Coat. Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster Plaster Coat Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster.Finishing Coat Plaster finishing coat Replace skirting boards on top of a Dryzone liquid Damp Proof Membrane CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION