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 movement 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 drawing moisture upwards through the structure of the wall..

Treatment:

Treatment of rising damp (known as "damp-proofing" or "damp coursing") typically involves the installation of a chemical DPC using specialist drilling and injection equipment, followed by re-plastering using a salt retardant additive. In almost every case the treatment is carried out internally within the property.