ABBEY
PRESERVATION

Rising damp occurs when the breakdown of a building's Damp Proof Course (DPC) occurs allowing moisture to "wick" upwards through the structure by capillary action. A DPC installed during construction will be a physical layer of an impermeable material. This can consist of slate, bitumen impregnated felt or plastic for example.

Many older properties do not have a DPC at all and a local change in conditions can increase the level of moisture in the ground leading to an outbreak of rising damp in the property. Where appropriate we will install a chemical DPC System to control the problem.

The chemical DPC is a water based silicon compound injected into the walls at regular intervals under pressure. The plaster in this affected area must be replaced as part of the DPC System. This is because the water drawn up from the ground contains salts which are themselves hygroscopic - they attract and hold moisture from the atmosphere. There will often be a small level of moisture held in the masonry due to the salts now present even when the rising damp is controlled. Replastering has two functions. It replaces the salt-contaminated plaster and protects the decorated surface from any residual moisture held in the wall.

Our experienced surveyors will be able to determine if the dampness reported is rising damp requiring a chemical DPC and replastering or if it is dampness due to salts left in the plaster by an old case of rising damp which just needs specialist replastering.

All work is guaranteed and materials used are approved and applied in accordance with good practice as described in BS 6576.