Identifying Damp in the Home

Rising Damp

• Dampness or staining of internal and external walls, usually at ground level and up to approximately 1 metre
• Skirting board decay
• Rusty nails in the skirting board
• Wet rot to sub-floor timbers including joists and wall plates
• Damage such as flaking and blistering to plasterwork
• Salt deposits usually at ground level and up to approximately 1 metre

• Missing physical damp proof course (DPC)
• Decayed physical damp proof course (DPC)
• The physical damp proof course (DPC) is lower than the surrounding groundwork
• The physical DPC may also be bridged by extensions or other forms of abutted wall or fence pillars

• Missing physical damp proof course (DPC)
• Decayed physical damp proof course (DPC)
• The physical damp proof course (DPC) is lower than the surrounding groundwork
• The physical DPC may also be bridged by extensions or other forms of abutted wall or fence pillars

Penetrating Damp

• Dampness or staining of internal and external walls. This can be present at any height and can propagate to ceilings
• Damage such as flaking and blistering to plasterwork
• Salt deposits on walls
• Timber decay

• The most common cause is a loss of integrity to external building construction, including:
  • Defective roofing
  • Cracked render or brickwork
  • Decayed windows and doors
  • Defective guttering

• General external building maintenance is always required
• Removal of plaster, sealing brickwork and subsequent replacement of render and finished plaster (frequent)
• Removal and replacement of affected skirting boards (occasional)
• Replacement of rotting subfloor timbers (occasional)

Lateral Penetrating Damp

• Dampness or staining of internal and external walls. This can be present at any height and can also propagate to ceilings
• Damage to plasterwork like flaking and blistering
• Salt deposits on walls
• Timber decay

• A missing physical damp proof course (DPC)
• A decayed physical damp proof course (DPC)
• Raised soil levels or other building works adjacent to external walls

• Removal of plaster and the installation of a tanking system (frequent)
• Removal and replacement of affected skirting boards (frequent)
• Where practical, removal of high external soil levels (occasional)
• Replacement of rotting timbers (occasional)

Condensation

• Staining to interior décor
• Black mould
• Musty odour
• Wetness on interior décor and windows

• Inadequate ventilation and air circulation
• High moisture content in air within the home
• High-temperature fluctuations

• Installation of additional subfloor boiler room air bricks (fairly frequent)
• Installation of ventilation system like humidity controlled electric air vents (fairly frequent)
• Installation of high-level air vents
• Installation of a positive pressure system