Rising damp can be a serious issue for your house if you do not repair it. The first sign of rising damp is a water shadow from the floor up.
If your wall has become wet to the touch then you have to investigate why your wall is absorbing water.
You will notice a damp smell, but this depends on how much your wall has absorbed over time!
Damp rot will ruin your house and if you leave it to soak through your foundation then the cost to repair it will be high.
Rising damp affects your health, once damp takes hold it will start to grow mould and leave a bad smell! Repairing your damp course should be a priority.
Treating/Repairing Rising Damp Step-by-step
The first course of action will be to repair the damp course, the best way to do this is to inject a sealant along a course of bricks.
Each brick/cement gets drilled and injected with a sealant then this course of bricks will act as a waterproof barrier stopping any more water from rising above the floorboards.
Here is what to do:
- Identify the problem
- Remove any old bricks from the cavity
- Inject individual bricks with a waterproof sealant
- Check for leaks from the main water inlet
Once you have had your new damp course installed, you should draw around the rising damp with a pencil.
After a few days, you should notice that the damp mark will start to reduce and dry up.
If this does not happen then your damp course has not been installed correctly and you should recall the builder who installed it.
Rising Damp F.A.Q
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about rising damp:
Does House Insurance Cover Rising Damp?
No, your house insurance will not pay out for moisture or rising damp issues.
If you have rising damp then your house is not in good repair, this is what the insurance companies use to get out of paying for rising damp and moisture issues.
When Will My Walls Dry Out?
It all depends on the weather and the temperature in your room.
To hurry along the drying process I would advise you to turn the heating up or use an electric heater and direct towards your walls.
Do not leave this appliance plugged in overnight.
Can I Paint on Damp Walls?
You must never paint on a damp wall, be sure the damp course is working before thinking about painting your walls.
The wall must be bone dry before painting. If you paint on a wet wall then your paint will not dry correctly and it might blister or peel away.
Conclusion
Rising damp is a serious problem and should be rectified ASAP! Leaving rising damp to take hold of your house will become very expensive to correct.
If damp gets into the walls it will crumble plaster, rot your joists, floorboards and skirting boards.
If your house starts to grow mould then it can affect your health, so we would advise you to get a damp course injected straight away!
There is nothing worse than dampness and mould taking hold of your house.