What is damp proofing?

Our damp proofing guide will provide all you need to know about damp problems and how to solve them.  The four main causes of damp are rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, and underground water ingress, and we will outline how to fix them all.

If you require professional treatment, then our damp proofing specialists have been solving damp problems since 1951. Our experienced surveyors are fully trained and qualified to diagnose the exact cause of the problem and, if necessary, provide a treatment plan to remedy it.

Get in touch with us by calling us or click the button below to book a survey online. Alternatively, continue reading to find out more about the various damp proofing services we can provide.

Most people start to think about damp proofing when symptoms of damp start to appear on their internal walls. Damp on walls causes aesthetic damage to paint, plaster, wallpaper, skirting boards and other fixtures and fittings but it can also lead to more serious problems such as rot which can affect structural timbers.
 
Other problems associated with damp walls include exacerbated symptoms of asthma and other respiratory conditions and poor energy efficiency with higher bills as a result. If you notice damp walls in your property then we recommend acting fast to resolve the issue. Generally speaking, the sooner a damp wall is repaired the less deteriation it will suffer.

The excess moisture that causes damp walls can come from various, such as:

• Humidity caused by poor ventilation
• Faulty roofing, gutters and down pipes
• Bridged or damaged damp proof courses
• Damage to foundations from tree roots or invasive weeds
• Damp cavity wall insulation

Identifying the exact type of damp proofing you require can sometimes be difficult for those who are not professionally trained. Symptoms of conditions like penetrating damp, rising damp and condensation can look remarkably similar but all require different damp proofing techniques to solve.

That said, when most people talk about “damp proofing” they are usually referring to a remedial damp proof course.  This is a type of waterproofing where a barrier is placed in a wall to prevent rising damp. There are many other types of damp proofing treatments available though, and each is suitable for different types of damp. 

Many homeowners will have heard of a damp-proof course, waterproof membranes or positive input ventilation unit but far fewer would know when to apply them.

A damp proof course (DPC) is a damp proofing treatment used to treat rising damp. Damp proof courses can be repaired or installed with a few different methods but the most popular and well known is the damp proof injection.
 
A damp proof course is only effective against rising damp and will not help other damp problems such as condensation or penetrating damp, so we would always recommend contacting an accredited surveyor to develop a treatment plan before getting a damp-proof course installed. It should be noted that rising damp is regularly misdiagnosed by untrained tradespeople, so by discussing the problem with a qualified and trade body recognised company like Peter Cox you could potentially save yourself from any needless and ineffective treatment.

A damp proof membrane is a high density polyethylene which is impermeable to water ingress and the any contaminants associated with this problem. This makes damp proof membrane an ideal material in the treatment of damp problems such as penetrating damp and rising damp.

The membrane is secured to internal walls after the source of the water ingress has been repaired and its bumpy surface creates a cavity that allows moisture to evaporate from the wall behind. These membranes are also used in structural waterproofing projects in basements and cellars as part of a cavity drainage system.

If your property is damp because of condensation you are likely to see excess water on your windows and black mould on your walls and window frames. This condition is common in humid rooms such as the bathroom and kitchen where water vapour (steam) particularly prevalent.

Stopping condensation can be as simple as opening windows, keeping lids on boiling pots or shutting the door when having a bath or shower. That said, persistent condensation problems that cannot be shifted through lifestyle changes can be solved professionally with the installation of mechanical ventilation units - these can range from basic extractor fans through to positive input ventilation systems.

When it comes to damp proofing an underground space it is common to see the process referred to as waterproofing as opposed to damp proofing. This is because basement waterproofing systems are often very different from the systems used to treat damp problems above the ground.

Concrete tanking systems and waterproof membrane and drainage systems are common solutions for keeping a basement or cellar dry and these work by holding back or managing water ingress from earth retaining walls.