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Rising
damp is ground moisture containing salts rising up a masonry
wall by capillary action. The common causes are deterioration
due to age and bridging of a damp-course with internal concrete
floors, renders or external paths and earth levels.
Please
scroll down for more information on the Tech-Dry solution
to rising damp and answers to some frequently asked questions.
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How
to identify a damp house
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Symptoms
of rising damp may include one or all of following:
For
inside walls
Paint
does not adhere to the wall
Wall
paper lifts and stains appear on the walls
Plaster
flakes away, feels soft and spongy, bubbles and white powder
or crystals appear
Skirting
boards and floor boards rot
For
outside walls
Mortar frets
and falls out between bricks and stonework
Stains or
white powder appear on walls.
A damp
meter may be useful to discover the dampness on the wall.
See below in FAQ for CSIRO information sheets on various topics
related to damp houses.
How
to identify a damp house;
Rising
Damp - an overview
(click to view, right click
to download)
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Tech-Dry
damp-course
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The
only solution to rising damp is to install a new damp-course
to block moisture migration up the wall. The Tech-Dry damp-course
is an innovative method of damp-course replacement to install
an extremely alkali-stable silicone damp-course. For more information
please click Tech-Dry
Damp-Course.
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DIY
Tech-Dry damp-course system
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The
Tech-Dry DIY applicator system makes it easy to install a
new silicone damp-course into single and double brick walls
at a fraction of the cost of commercial damp-course installation.
For more information please click DIY
Damp-Course KIT and our Damp-Course
Fluid data sheet.
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| DIY
damp proof course cream |
For
smaller jobs
DPC Cream
is a simple and economic alternative for those smaller jobs
involving a few metres of wall or a brick fireplace which
has rising damp. DPC Cream is an innovative silicone cream
formulated as a water-based cream containing 80% active silicone,
which effectively forms a permanent silicone damp-course within
masonry walls. For more information please click on DIY
Damp Proof Course Cream.
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| Frequently
asked questions
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| What
is rising damp? |
Rising
damp is ground moisture containing salts rising up a masonry
wall. |
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| Why
does rising damp occur? |
Ground
moisture will rise up any permeable masonry wall by capillary
action. Capillary rise is a natural phenomenon which can only
be stopped by the introduction of an impermeable barrier in
the base of the wall. This horizontal barrier is commonly called
a damp-course. |
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| Where
does rising damp occur? |
Rising
damp occurs in brick and stone houses which lack an adequate
damp-course. Most commonly, Victorian and Edwardian structures
and Californian bungalows or buildings 50 years and over exhibit
rising damp. |
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| Why
does a damp-course break down? |
The
two most common causes are deterioration due to age and burying
the damp-course with internal concrete floors or external paths
and earth levels. Though sub-floor ventilation and wetness of
the sub-floor area will significantly impact on the problem
as well. |
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| Does
rising damp affect the value of my house? |
Yes,
because when it comes time to sell, the prospective purchaser
will order a building inspection which will reveal the problem
(with the use of a moisture meter) even if it has been covered
up. This discovery results in the loss of the sale or at least
a heavily discounted price. A damp house is also associated
with asthma and respiratory complaints. |
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| How
can rising damp be recognised? |
Internal
walls: flaking or crumbling plaster and paint work,
a darker tidemark up to 1.5 meters from the floor, and salt
deposits.
External walls: crumbling bricks and mortar,
and salt deposits.
Some
or all of these symptoms may be present.
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| Can
I cover up the rising damp? |
Covering
up the rising damp using panelling or waterproof plaster allows
the walls to become even wetter and in the problem area coming
out higher up the wall. |
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| Can
rising damp be cured? |
Yes,
by installing a new damp-course using the Tech-Dry Damp-Course.
You can install a new damp-course by yourself using Tech-Dry
DIY and Damp-Course Fluid at a fraction of the cost of commercial
installation. |
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| How
durable is the Tech-Dry damp-course? |
It
is tough permanently bonded plastic. A 25 year written guarantee
will be issued if the damp-course is installed by Tech-Dry. |
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| How
easy is it to install the Tech-Dry DIY damp-course? |
It
is quite simple and easy. What you need is a hammer drill and
a 10 mm masonry drill bit. |
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| What
do I do after installing the Tech-Dry damp-course? |
Re-plastering
should be carried out according to instructions after your new
damp-course has allowed your walls to dry. Please click on the
Post-Install
Instructions for more information on replastering after
installation of a damp-course. |
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For your information, please find attached copies of CSIRO
information sheets on the following topics:
•Improving
sub-floor ventilation
•Mould
growth in houses
•Condensation
in houses
•Ridding
concrete blockwork of efflorescence
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