Rising damp is when moisture rises from the ground or foundation of a building and up its wall. This is enabled through capillary action and the porous nature of the mortar line.

Rising damp is mostly seen in old buildings or modern buildings that have not been well constructed. During the construction of old buildings, the builders did not consider the installation of a damp-proof course, which is responsible for preventing water from rising. On the other hand, incompetent modern house builders either do not install the damp-proof course correctly or negligently fail to install it. If this is the case, you might notice signs of rising damp on your walls.

Signs of Rising Damp

If you see water-tide marks on your wall, bubbling paint, cracking and peeling paint, white deposits on your walls or mould, your house might most likely be experiencing rising damp.

Rising damp is considered hazardous because if you have a wooden house, the wood starts rotting from the inside and your structure can collapse at any time. This can lead to injury and destruction of property. Additionally, if mould grows in and on your walls, you can inhale mould spores and get respiratory diseases that can be detrimental.

The cracking, peeling and bubbling of paint can be aesthetically unappealing and make you shy away from inviting guests to your house. Salt deposits and tidemarks can also make you feel ashamed of your house.

What Can You Do?

Your only solution is to contact a professional rising damp repair contractor. Rising damp is not something you can simply DIY; it requires skilful and educated analysis of your foundation and wall to find out how extensive the damage is and the amount of repair required. You might even be required to replace an entire wall if the wood is found to be rotten.

The main treatment for rising damp is, therefore, first fixing the damage caused by rising damp and then installing a rising damp course. This can be achieved by drilling holes into the wall to help pump in the rising damp course. If the drilling procedure cannot work, the wall might require dismantling and rebuilding.

Final Tips

Always choose an experienced construction company. Don't try to cut costs because you might regret it sooner or later. Construction companies have teams of specialists who take measurements of the moisture content of a building site and take measures (install a rising damp course) to prevent rising damp during construction.

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