#PAINT AND PLASTER REPAIR NEAR ME HOW TO#
#PAINT AND PLASTER REPAIR NEAR ME CODE#
#PAINT AND PLASTER REPAIR NEAR ME SERIES#

#PAINT AND PLASTER REPAIR NEAR ME CODE#

The PCA offer good advice around this in their Code of Practice for the Investigation and Control of Dampness in Buildings referring to BS5250: 2011 that states: ‘One of the most reliable ways that may be used to differentiate between dampness due to condensate and due to rising damp is to compare moisture in the contents of samples of masonry, or preferably mortar, from within the depth of the wall and near the inner surface of the wall samples from within the wall will not be damp if surface condensation is the sole cause.’ Rising damp is often confused with damp caused by condensation - this is one of the most common reasons for misdiagnosis. When the diagnosis is wrong, it means that the treatment fails and the 'damp' issue remains. There are inexperienced and underqualified surveyors and tradesmen out there that incorrectly diagnose rising damp. The main reason that this debate continues to rage is the all-too-common misdiagnosis of rising damp. Photograph: Steve Wookey Is Rising Damp a Myth?Īt this point it's worth addressing the debate around whether rising damp exists or not. There is a long-standing debate, both online and off, where people question if rising damp is real. The wall to the left has had the earth removed to a lower level. H igh external ground levels causing rising damp on the window wall. Intersecting masonry structures / abutting garden walls.Inappropriate insulation material in the cavity.External ground levels being raised above the DPC.Internal or external renders / plasters overlapping the DPC.Debris in the wall cavity or subfloor void.This is where the damp from the ground is able to travel up past the DPC because of a construction fault. Sometime the DPC can remain intact, but the DPC can be bridged. If you don’t have a DPC or there is evidence that it has failed then there is nothing to prevent the water from travelling up your wall. Sometimes these physical DPCs may fail over time in older houses they may not exist at all. These can be made of non-absorbant, water-resistant materials such as slate, bitumen and plastic depending on the period the property was built.

Most buildings have some form of barrier installed at the lower level of the wall to prevent water rising up in this way. We will go into the common signs of rising damp in more detail later in the guide. Externally, mortar may crumble and white salt stains may appear on the walls.

This is something often associated with rising damp and will lead to the debonding of paints and even plaster work. You may also see salts blooming on the internal surface. A visible stain often appears on the wall in the form of a tide mark at the point where the ground water has reached. Plaster and paint can deteriorate and any wallpaper tends to loosen. Generally rising damp is first noticed by the damage it causes to the internal walls of a building. Read our guide for help diagnosing and treating wet rot. These materials will also absorb the ground water easily and you may find evidence of wet rot in the timber. This water contains salts that also travel up through the wall.Īround the affected wall, you get other porous building materials such as plasterwork and the timber found in the floor boards, joists and skirtings.

#PAINT AND PLASTER REPAIR NEAR ME SERIES#

This means that ground water is effectively sucked up through tiny tubes in the bricks, like a series of straws. It occurs when moisture from the ground travels up through the walls by capillary action. Rising damp is a relatively rare form of damp that affects the walls of buildings.

We also bust some myths around rising damp and its treatment. A large part of this guide is given over to correctly identifying rising damp in your home, telling it apart from much more common damp issues.

#PAINT AND PLASTER REPAIR NEAR ME HOW TO#

This How To guide takes you through identifying rising damp, the causes and how to effectively deal with it. Putting aside the debates for a moment, if you think you might have an issue with rising damp you are in the right place. Rising damp is one of most talked about and controversial types of damp.

Paint and plaster repair near me