I Need A Permanent Rising Damp Treatment - By: David Sutcliffe

When a rising damp treatment is required, membrane systems are thought to be a good choice when compared to many typical damp proofing procedures like chemical damp proof courses (DPCs), as well as cementitious and bitumous paint with coatings and outside water resistants. The reason for this is that membrane systems usually need only a small amount of preparation, install fast, and thought to be the most adaptable to the area. They can be reversed and have ventilation which allow them to be an ideal option for damp walls, to use with conservation and historic jobs when a rising damp treatment is needed, or any other solution is needed for treating damp problems or specifically to treat rising damp.

There are problems which can arise from other damp treatments. Drilling and injecting the chemical DPC (a damp proof treatment, specifically a damp course treatment) is an exact science in that the holes have to be drilled to the right diameter, at the right spacing and to the correct depth if the installation it to be effective. The exact gauge of DPC cream or fluid in relation to the thickness of the wall and what it is built from need to be calculated to achieve totally effective diffusion into the substrate. This is especially tricky in buildings constructed of varied materials or poorly built structures where there are large fishers and voids. As a rising damp treatment, damp proofing membranes can be applied over most existing wall finishes without the need to remove them. No guess work is required and the membranes are offered up to the walls, drilled and fixed quickly and cleanly the same way to almost any substrate. When an injected damp proof course is used in damp walls where rising damp treatment is needed, part of the process almost always includes hacking off existing plaster which is an extremely disruptive and messy process.The damp-proofing membranes provide an impervious barrier to protect the internal finishes which require rising damp treatment, without changing the status quo of the wall.

If there is any organic material like timber (skirting boards, door linings, architraves, fixing blocks etc) in contact with the damp wall then there is a risk that wood rotting fungi like dry or wet rot could germinate and in many cases cause serious decay. If a DPC fluid is used then the active ingredient is mixed with water as the carrier and so you are effectively introducing more fluid into an already damp wall thus making it wetter! Damp timber will also promote and harbour wood boring insects more commonly known as woodworm. Dry rot treatment in particular can be very disruptive and expensive. Membrane systems completely isolate the decorative joinery and timber items from any dampness in the walls thus prolonging their longevity. Infestation by wood boring insects can have a detrimental affect to the timber which may result in the need to completely remove and replace the item, or the treatment of woodworm may require a specialist wood worm treatment company.

Chemical DPCs are almost always installed with a recommendation to re-plaster the wall at least to a height of 1.2m with a dense plaster and with a salt retardant additive in the plaster mix is another advantage that damp proofing membranes have over injected chemical DPCs as a rising damp treatment. The contracted damp specialist will consider the plastering to be a vital part of this system as the chemical DPC and therefore if it is to achieve its design function, achieving the right combination of sand, cement and salt retardant additive is absolutely crucial. If the associated salt retardant plastering is not done and if it is done by someone else then the end user faces a split responsibility situation if something goes wrong in the future, then damp specialists will rarely give a guarantee for the work.

As a solution to damp problems, damp proofing membranes are much superior as they are not subject to human error which often crop up while using other damp proofing techniques. These other damp proof courses function effectively only when the ingredients are mixed in correct proportions and a chemical reaction take place at some predetermined level. Damp Proofing Membranes are a physical product do not have any such conditions to be effective. Once these damp proof membranes of are used for the walls, you need not worry about dampness and salting of inside of your walls and you are free to apply any internal finish as you like without its any chance of its being damaged.

Damp Proofing Membranes offer a solution to the many problems incountered when attempting to treat damp problems or as a treatment for rising damp. Cementitious and bitumous products are difficult to use due to the nature of these products. The suface to which they are applied has to be 100% free of defects and preparing the surfaces for these treatments can be very labor intensive. Often defects cannot be be seen and this leads to product failure. Damp Proofing Membranes eliminate these problems and can be the perfect solution.

Where external ground levels are higher than the internal floor levels such as in a damp cellar then there is a risk of hydrostatic water pressure and damp proofing walls only will be a futile exercise if a running water situation occurs. Damp proofing membrane systems are designed to deal with capillary held moisture only and as such are only suitable for above ground application. The remedial method adopted should be a waterproofing system design and application. Therefore whenever there is a situation where earth is bearing against the structure and making the wall damp a damp proofing membrane chemical damp course alone should not be considered and would not conform to BS8102 (British Standard for The Protection of Structures From Water From The Ground)

About the Author

David Sutcliffe is an independent consultant specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of damp in all buildings across the construction spectrum from historic and listed buildings to new build, commercial and domestic structures. David has over 30 years of hands on experience in damp treatment

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