Rising Damp: Causes and Solutions

If an increased moisture content is measured: this may indicate water in the crawl space, high groundwater levels, or unforeseen and/or inspectable defects in an adjacent home.

If no increased moisture content is measured, this confirms that there are no significant moisture problems in the crawl space that could adversely affect the foundation, walls, or floor structure.

• Rising damp is inherently detrimental to a house's structure! It damages the plasterwork. Materials such as brickwork and mortar also become porous and silt up if they are continuously subjected to rising damp.
• It is important to mention that an ideal climate and breeding ground is also created for fungi and molds .
• Under certain circumstances this rising damp will be present to a greater or lesser extent.
• Rising damp poses a significant risk to wooden floors and joists. Wood rot in the joist heads can develop quickly and easily, but because they are built into the walls, they are not visible.

In appropriate cases, we recommend placing a gravel bed on the outside of the house along the foundation as a preventive measure.

• Preferably use a gravel pit of approximately 25 cm wide and 60 cm deep.
• This does not guarantee a 100% solution to such rising damp problems.
• This measure should be seen as preventive and, in combination with other improvements, can reduce the problem.

Injecting walls is a popular measure. The most common remedy for rising damp is injecting the walls with a special damp-proofing gel. It's a relatively simple procedure that can provide a lasting solution, especially for mild damp damage. This method involves drilling holes along the entire length of the wall approximately 20 cm above floor level. A damp-proofing gel is then injected into the holes. The gel will slowly be absorbed by the wall, creating a solid barrier against rising damp within a few months.