Rising Damp

Rising damp is the term used to describe dampness in a wall structure, where there is higher moisture content at the base of the wall, which rises further up the wall.

How To Identify Rising Damp

The problem of rising damp can be identified by a number of different signs, which include:

  • Damaged internal decoration – damp, discoloured tidemarks on internal decoration. Image of rising damp - a wall in need of rising damp treatment | Rentokil Property Care
  • Damaged Plaster - blistering, salting and disintegration
  • Rotting skirting boards, floor timbers – wet rot decay
  • Localised dampness – dampness on walls rarely exceeds one metre above ground level, but may go much higher in extreme cases
 

What Causes Rising Damp?

The main causes of rising damp are:

  • Failure of an existing damp proof course
  • No damp proof course at all
  • High external ground bridging an existing damp proof course
  • Internal plaster bridging an existing damp proof course
  • Bridging of damp proof course due to a build up of rubble inside a cavity wall
  • Residual dampness at the base of the wall following a previous penetrating damp problem
  • Condensation at the base of a wall due to poor air circulation
  • Leaking water pipes at the base of a wall

Due to the complex nature of rising damp, its identification needs to be carried out by an industry qualified surveyor.

Rentokil’s team of surveyors and specialists are professionally trained. They have over 80 years experience in the field of remedial damp treatment.

 

Rising Damp Survey

Image of technician carrying out calcium carbide test for rising damp | Rentokil Property Care

A qualified Rentokil surveyor will carry out a thorough inspection of your property to establish the need for any rising damp treatment. The survey includes:

  • External inspection – to look for defects that may relate to the existing problem or cause damp problems in the future
  • Visual inspection of all internal ground floor walls – walls will be scanned with a resistance moisture meter. Where visible damage to decorations or higher levels of moisture in the plaster is identified, a more detailed inspection will be carried out.
  • Checking floorboards – if the ground floor is of timber construction, floorboards will be lifted to check if timber decay is occurring to the wall plate and joists beneath the floor surface.
  • Calcium carbide tests will be taken to identify a dampness profile. This entails drilling into the wall to extract mortar samples for testing on site.

Once dampness has been identified above the normal threshold, the surveyor will make recommendations on the most appropriate rising damp treatment.

Recommendations may vary depending on our customer’s requirements. A Rentokil surveyor will always try to adapt the specifications to solve the problem and at the same time match our customer’s needs.

Do you need rising damp treatment? Call Property Care free on 0800 0121 437 to arrange a rising damp survey.