Rising damp is a condition where moisture from the ground travels up through the pores in the bricks and mortar of a building, much in the same way that oil travels up through the wick of an oil lamp – once rising damp has become established, this moisture can cause problems such as damp patches on walls, peeling paint / wallpaper and eventually plaster falling away from the wall and structure of the building. In the longer term, it will lead to structural damage to the building, if left unchecked.

Rising damp, lateral damp and descending damp will make a building cold, as the heat within the Building is absorbed to force the moisture from the walls. Living in cold and damp conditions causes certain medical conditions such as bronchitis and asthma. Where the damp has caused fungi, the fungal spores add to the bronchial problems.

There are various causes of damp for example:

• The original builder forgot to install a DPC or it was not positioned correctly in the first instance.
• The original DPC has deteriorated due to, house settlement, vibration, from passing traffic, or general land subsidence.
• This is especially common where a Bitumen DPC was used.
• The damp course has been “bridged” e.g. by earth being piled up against an outside wall.
• Parapet walls have deteriorated or were never damp proofed.

The symptoms of rising damp can often be confused. All types of dampness require different methods of treatment. It is essential that a specialist is consulted to diagnose the type of dampness to be treated.

Dampness methods of treatment:

• Injection
• Crystalline Slurry
• Plaster
• Membrane
• Tanking
• Damp Proofing Creams

 More on the applications:

CREAM

Creating the best possible barrier to rising damp minimises moisture in the wall, blocks
the build-up of ground salts, and reduces heat-loss. For this reason, specialist creams
used have been formulated. This is important because no two walls suffering from rising
damp are the same.

In particular the physical properties of the mortar used to construct walls can vary
considerably and this can have a significant influence on the effectiveness of any rising
damp treatment.

The effectiveness of the specialised cream used have been verified under a wide range of
test conditions by independent test houses around the world.

Test conditions examined include:

• Saturated walls (up to 95% saturation)
• Low alkalinity mortar
• High alkalinity mortar
• Low porosity mortar
• High porosity mortar
• Lime-based mortar
• Cement-based mortar 

TORCH-ON/POLYMER-MODIFIED HEAT-INFUSED MEMBRANE SYSTEM

Modified bitumen (modified asphalt) or “mod bit” roofing material is sold in rolls and applied usually on low-slope or flat roofs. Its seams are sealed using a torch to heat the under-side of the bituminous material that coats both sides of a polyester or fiberglass reinforced mat.

The areas where this system is used would be for Tanking of below grade structures like
foundations or walls that have been covered with spoil.