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Damp Proofing

Soil and pebbles next to house cashing rising damp?

Anonymous user 14/03/2024 - 2.36 PM

On our house next to the driveway, we have about a 10cm gap between the concrete paving and exterior walls of the house. This gap is soil with pebbles over the top, could this be a cause of rising damp? A section of the house was injected with a DPC about 7 years ago but we are still getting rising damp issues. To the point that the carpet is physically wet in the house. The company that installed the DPC won’t look at it without us paying a fee that we would get back in a valid insurance claim can be made. They’ve already said if the render is damage or if limelite plaster wasn’t used. Then that would void the insurance backed guarantee. The render is sounding hallow on that section of the wall but I’m not sure if that’s the cause or not.

Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?

3 Answers

WPD Productions Ltd

Rating: 5 out of 5
Tottenham, London
... in addition to the informative answer by the member from Stockport: Locate the drainage chamber in front or at the back of the house. Connect a PVC pipe the length of the house wall to the drainage chamber. You might have to dig a channel approx 40cm wide and 50cm or more deep (depends on the level of the drainage chamber. Make sure there is a slight slope towards the drainage chamber connection point. Cut with angle grinder gaps across the pipe at 5cm distance each. Fill the channel with large pebbles. Make sure the overall level of the finished channel once filled up with pebbles is 2 brick courses under your DPC or air brick (if positioned correctly - often they are not, check first ). On the interior of the affected rooms with damp exterior facing walls on ground level: Remove the existing plasters and renders back to brick. Apply a 3 coat non hydraulic lime plaster system. No cement renders or gypsum plaster coatings! The walls will dry slowly, but it can take several months or even a year if saturated with water. Remember, it took a long time to get to this stage. Once everything has dried out, apply only paints that do not contain plastics such as latex etc. You can use clay paint for example. In this contest: Injections don't work, plasticised cement render(s) don't work (too dense), guarantees are worthless and a waste of time.
Answered10 August 2023
2

Heritage building revivals

Rating: 5 out of 5
Stockport
I would first recommend getting rid of the 10cm gap and installing a eco drainage system to carry water away.....water is constantly soaking onto the external brickwork and it will be penetrating up from underneath......if its excessive water even a damp course and infections will fail
Answered10 August 2023
0

Anonymous user

Rising damp is caused by water rising through the ground and into the walls of a building. This can be caused by a number of factors, including a lack of a damp-proof course, porous building materials, defective guttering and downpipes, and a high water table. In your case, it is possible that the soil and pebbles next to your house are contributing to rising damp. However, it is also possible that there is another problem causing the rising damp, such as damaged render or plaster.
Answered24 August 2023
0