Treating rising damp

Rising Damp occurs in buildings when water from the ground rises up through the bricks and mortar of a building by capillary action, in the same way that a sponge will soak up water from the floor.

Rising damp can cause serious structural damage to buildings. Some symptoms which can help you identify rising damp are;
• Plaster and paint deterioration and wallpaper loosening.
• Stain marks or ‘tide marks’ on surfaces from the damp, salts and mold.
• External mortar may crumble and salt stains may appear on the walls. In extreme cases, mortar or plaster may fall away from the affected wall.
• Steel and iron fasteners rust.
• Also you may notice Respiratory illness in occupants.

We use two separate highly effective solutions to treat rising damp. The specific method employed is dependent on the specific building material in question. Chemical injection methods generally only work on bricks or mortar where there is a horizontal mortar bed. Alternatively, the Electro Osmosis method is employed in situations where random rubble or stone walls are affected with rising damp.

Electro Osmosis
The Electro Osmosis method of treating rising damp is highly effective in solving rising damp and works just as the “poles” of magnets repel or attract each other. Water molecules in capillaries typically move from plus (wall base) to minus charge (upper wall). The Electro osmosis damp proofing systems work by using the principle of osmotic flow to overcome the capillary forces that cause rising damp, by adjusting the direction of the moisture down wards. This is achieved by placing a series of anodes (positive charge) in the upper wall which repel the moisture molecules, and cathodes (negative charge) at ground level which now attract moisture molecules downwards. Ultimately this method achieves rediverting the water movement, solving the initial problem.

Chemical injections
Chemical injection is the method of injecting a water repellent chemical into the brick or mortar joint which lines the capillaries in the substrate, once cured it creates a continuous water repellent barrier. Damp proof chemical injections are highly effective and have been used by us for many years. After treatment, this method prevents damp from rising up the wall. Click here for more information.
Rising damp is a major problem in Irish buildings. Early identification is extremely important as continued exposure overtime can weaken the structure of the building.