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Rising damp treatment in Chelmsford
Rising damp happens when moisture from the ground soaks up through brick walls. It's less common than people think, so it's worth confirming before paying to treat it.
Signs of rising damp
- A brown or yellow tide mark on ground floor walls, usually no higher than about a metre
- Plaster that's soft, bubbling or falling away near the bottom of the wall
- White, powdery salts on the wall surface
- Skirting boards that are rotting or coming away
- A musty smell in ground floor rooms
What causes it
Most older houses were built with a damp proof course, a barrier near the bottom of the wall that stops ground moisture rising. In Victorian and Edwardian homes this can be slate or bitumen that has cracked over time. In some very old buildings there isn't one at all.
Very often though, the damp proof course is fine and something is bridging it. Common culprits are soil or paving raised above it outside, a rendered plinth that runs down to the ground, or debris in a cavity. Fixing the bridge can solve the problem without any injection.
How it's treated
If a new damp proof course is needed, a chemical cream is injected into the mortar line along the affected walls. It spreads through the brick and forms a water-repellent barrier.
The old salt-contaminated plaster is then stripped off, usually to about a metre high, and the wall is replastered with a salt-resistant system. Skirting boards are refitted and the room is left ready to decorate once it has dried out.
Is it definitely rising damp?
Condensation and small leaks can look very similar. A survey checks moisture levels at different heights, looks at the outside of the wall and checks ground levels, so you know the cause before spending anything.
Worried about damp in Chelmsford?
Call and describe what you're seeing. We'll tell you honestly whether it sounds like rising damp, a leak or condensation, and book a survey if it needs one.
Call 01245 968544