Rising Damp

Within every stone and brick built structure moisture has the potential to penetrate the outer walls, soaking up moisture via capillairies. The original construction of the building will have some form of membrane installed above the first course of bricks. This is designed to stop damp rising and normally comes in the form of a lead lined bitumous layer or other form of membrane, slate or blue brick. Where this preventative membrane doesnt exist or becomes damaged, the typical result is rising damp. Over time the damp course will allow ground water to rise through the brick/stone work and mortar joints. Ground water is full of soluble salts that are depositied on the surface of the walls as they dry out. This shows itself as a white powdery formation on the outside of the building, something that is quite commonly witnessed in older buildings. The salts draw in the atmospheric moisture and this eventually leads to walls being damp to touch. This is a common indicator that a building has rising damp issues. 

The hazards of Rising Damp if it is not diagnosed early enough

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Any form of damp in the home is unhealthy for the occupants and can potentially damage the building further, making any repairs more costly. A damp property is invariably a cold property as heat loss is common due to the conductivity of the walls allowing heat to escape more readily,.

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Knowing the signs

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Rising Damp can affect any building although much more common to see this occur in older buildings where the damp course has been damaged or experinced a period of degradation over time. This type of issue is often confused with other damp problems, so it is important to be able to identify Rising Damp as the issue and then look at a suitable course of action. 

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How Hazell Preservation can help

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We have been ensuring homes are secure from damp issues for many years. Our Rising Damp services are comprehensive, fully insured and guarantee. Our team are extremely professional and will be available if you have any questions throughout the course of the works, and be able to advise accordingly.

Typically our work includes :

• Hazell Preservation technicians will visit your home to ascertain the existence of Rising Damp and identifying all areas affected

• We will look to establish what is causing the damp and propose solutions to rectify the problem and put in place a treatment plan. This comes in the form of a FREE survey

• Following a full consultancy taking on board any heritage issues associated with the building, we identify the most appropriate course of action in the form of a quotation. For most properties this will include a chemical damp proof treatment and injecting mortar creams.
• Following your approval of our quotation we would carry out repairs and preventative works to the property and any internal/external repairs required

• Internal damage to plaster will be removed and replaced. Our specialist plaster will include a waterproof additive and dense sand and cement to further protect the property.

• Any timber affected will also be replaced, and we will ensure the location is left clean and ready for further decoration. We will also inspect deeper, looking for any signs of dry/ wet rot that have ocured due to damp

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A 10 year Insurance Backed Guarantee can be issued on all works

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