Rising Damp - The Cause

Practically all-building materials absorb water. This should not and need not be a problem. In reality water is the single most damaging cause of structural decay. It is responsible for more building maintenance costs than any other cause. Dry rot, wet rot, rising lateral and penetrating dampness along with condensation, all arise because of unwanted and unnecessary water in buildings. These conditions create the perfect environment for the growth of fungi and the spread of wood destroying insects. If treatment is delayed for any reason the damage will be much more than cosmetic. The fabric of the building will be damaged and its structural integrity threatened to a point where it will become unsafe. When the external signs become evident – damage has already begun. There should be no delay in undertaking remedial work. Delay will incur additional risk and cost. Rising damp is a very real possibility wherever a wall is in contact with the ground. The soil, which normally has high moisture content, acts as a reservoir. The wall exposed to the air cause the fabric of the wall to act as a ‘sponge’ drawing moisture up from the ground, through the bricks, stone or mortar. Depending on the construction and materials of the wall serious damage can occur anywhere up to 1.2 meters above ground level. Lack of, or the presence of an ineffective damp course will inevitably lead to rising damp and all the attendant damage that entails.

The Effect

A typical rising damp situation would be damp plaster, peeling wallpaper and possible wood rot to timber skirting’s. The area affected would be up to about 1 metre high where the problem cut off quite sharply. There could bevarious other reasons contributing to this and our experienced surveyor at Dampshield will be able to confirm the diagnosis.



The Treatment

The lack of a damp proof course or the presence of an ineffective one will result in rising damp and all potential for expensive damage that inevitably entails. At Dampshield we use the Sovereign system of damp proofing course injection, which is the most widely used method of inserting a damp proof course into an existing building. The system first obtained an Agrément Board Certificate in 1975 and has been renewed every subsequent year. This system is practical, effective and economical and causes the minimum possible disruption to the occupants of the building being treated. The Sovereign system has been repeatedly proven thoroughly effective in eliminating Rising Damp and is applicable to a wide variety of walling materials and methods of construction. The entire operation from preliminary survey, during execution of the job, through the period of the Guarantee, is conducted to standards of materials, workmanship and business practice specified in British Standard 6576. It is a priceless reassurance to the householder or other property owner that we serve.





The Sovereign Protection Scheme The Guarantee Protection Scheme covers all aspects of a DPC contract. In the event of a claim, Sovereign undertakes to check the validity of such a plaint and specify work required to rectify. The scheme is backed by Dampshield and Sovereign Chemical Industries Ltd an international company with unrivalled experience in the field, meeting the standards set down in BS 6576. The Protection Scheme offers a unique and complete safeguard of the customers’ interests.