What is Rising damp...

Rising damp (or Salt damp, as it is known in many parts of the world) is not the most common form of dampness encountered in buildings; this is left to condensation. However, a high proportion of older buildings are affected by rising damp to some degree or another.

Rising damp in buildings may be defined as the vertical flow of water up through a permeable wall structure, the water being derived from ground water. The water rises through the pores (capillaries) in the masonry by a process loosely termed capillary action In other words the masonry acts like a wick.

Treatment of rising damp (known as damp-proofing or damp coursing) typically involves the installation of a chemical DPC using injection equipment, followed by re-plastering using a salt retardant and a waterproof additive.