Damp Proofing

Damp Proofing: A Guide to Protecting Your Property

Damp proofing is an essential process for maintaining the structural integrity and comfort of any building. In the UK, where wet weather is common, protecting your home or commercial property from moisture intrusion is critical. Without effective damp proofing, buildings can suffer from mould growth, structural damage, and poor indoor air quality.

What is Damp Proofing?

Damp proofing refers to various methods used to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls, floors, and ceilings of a property. The goal is to stop damp from affecting interior spaces, which can lead to costly repairs and health issues if left untreated. The most common types of damp found in UK buildings include rising damp, penetrating damp, and condensation.

Rising damp occurs when groundwater travels up through the bricks and mortar via capillary action. This can be particularly problematic in older properties that lack a proper damp proof course (DPC). Penetrating damp is caused by water seeping through external walls, usually due to issues like broken guttering, damaged roofing, or porous bricks. Condensation is a result of excess moisture in the air, often from inadequate ventilation or heating, and tends to appear in kitchens and bathrooms.

Why is damp proofing important?

To prevent rising damp from occurring, damp-proofing is a legal requirement in all new build properties in order. This is important because damp proofing prevents damp from the ground rising up the walls and damaging your property, saving you time, money, and effort in the long-term.
Damp proofing provides a long-term solution for moisture breaching the building’s foundation and entering the property. The most common damp problem is being moisture absorption via floors and walls into the side of the property.

What are the causes of damp?

In older buildings, damp can result from the following external factors such as:
• Leaking rainwater gutters
• Insufficient external drainage
• Bridging of the damp proof course
• Misdirected rainwater downpipes

What are the signs that I need damp proofing?

If you spot any of the following signs, this may indicate that your building requires damp proofing:
• Black spot mould forming on interior walls. This can also signify that there is a condensation problem.
• Watermarks on walls formed by either rising damp or penetrating damp.
• Wood, such as skirting boards, will start to deteriorate as a result of coming into contact with moisture.
• Plaster peeling off walls and damage to other decorative finishes such as wallpaper.

What does damp proofing involve?

1. First, the wall will be prepared by removing damp/salt contaminated plaster.
2. Next, holes will be drilled into the wall which will need to be at least 150mm above the ground level.
3. After this, the Damp-proof Course will be installed. The injection cream will be inserted into
the holes and once the holes are full, these will be capped with either mortar or plastic plugs.
4. Then, the Scratch Coat will be applied. This will act as an anchoring layer.
5. Next, the Plaster Coat will be applied. Once the scratch coat has become firm, the plaster will be applied again with at least 15mm-20mm thick.
6. Finally, a final skim coat will be applied using suitable skim plaster.

For more information about our damp proofing services, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team of experts today who will be more than happy to help you out.