Health consequences of living in a damp building, especially dampness related respiratory problems, are a hot topic nowadays, and with good reason. This kind of a problem is more common than one would think, so I thought I share a…
Experimental SetupWe have done an in-depth investigation on how damp masonry responds to artificially generated external electromagnetic fields. Using a commercial function generator we applied to our test wall a wide variety of regular and irregular wave forms and pulses…
Here are some (common) solutions for the handling of rising damp - both traditional and modern approaches. Some of them are partial solutions to rising damp (e.g. they don't address all critical aspects of rising damp) or they are just…
The Main Challenge - SaltsAfter the installation of a damp proof course, renovation is the second major phase of handling rising damp.The main challenge in renovating after rising damp is the presence of GROUND SALTS.Walls affected by rising damp contain…
The Importance of a Damp Proof CourseDamp proof courses are the PRIMARY LINE OF DEFENSE against rising damp. Their role is to stop the rise of water into the building fabric by "sealing off" the building from the soil and…
Solving rising damp requires very exact, specific steps. Let's recap first what the problem is, what we are trying to solve.The ProblemRising damp is the natural upward movement of water inside porous masonry.Rising damp is a STANDALONE phenomenon that can occur on…
Rising damp is the natural upward movement of water inside porous masonry. A Standalone Phenomenon Rising damp is a STANDALONE phenomenon that can occur on its own on both internal or external walls, even in well-maintained buildings, independent of any other dampness problems…
Introduction Magnetic DPCs are the latest technical development in damp proof course (DPC) technology. Magnetic DPCs appeared first during the 1980s in a need to address the shortcomings of previous DPC technologies. New scientific discoveries about Earth's energetic background, as…
An Old Farm House with Rotting Joists We have surveyed an old farm house, where the floor was already taken up and the joists were getting replaced. The client was facing a very common problem: rotting joists. It is easy…
A Special Case of Thermal Expansion As part of our R&D activity we do various lab tests and experiments. When one is doing proper science one can be surprised by an unexpected outcome. This is exactly what has happened recently,…
NO DAMP PROOF COURSE + HIGH WATER TABLE = PROBLEMThis is a case study of a 250 years old stone farm house, with a high water table, where nothing seemed to work... Old buildings built prior to the 1870s often do…
Interview with an old-timer conservation architectWe really enjoyed working with Mr John Dodson, old timer conservation architect, on solving damp problems in the St Peter's Church in Thornton. We couldn't miss this opportunity of asking him about his life-long experience…
Welcome to our "Dampness" section. Dampness is one of the main causes of decay of old buildings. Most common moisture sources affecting old buildings listed below.Rising damp: buildings are sitting on the damp ground. Over time, the porous building fabric can absorb…
The amount of water inside damp walls - and weather a wall is getting damper or drier at any point - is determined by the balance of two factors: Water in: how much water being absorbed into the building fabric…
The international scientific literature contains thousands of research papers on every aspect of rising damp. Here we have listed some, broken down into several categories. Under each title we have given a short summary, but feel free to read the whole…
In the previous sections we have looked at some of the molecular phenomena behind rising damp - the electrical double layer and the effect of short-range forces acting inside capillaries - as well as at some external drivers such as…
The Effect of HeatingIn addition to electrokinetic short-range forces, some external factors - such as temperature and pressure - also affect the movement of moisture inside capillaries.The positive effect of slow, steady heating in old buildings is well known. Heating…
Short-range Forces Inside the Capillaries We discussed earlier that when a liquid comes into contact with a solid surface, a strong electrostatic attraction occurs between them. This attraction is due to a number of strong, short-distance molecular forces that exist…
The Water Molecule Water (H2O) consists of two positive hydrogen and one negative oxygen atom. This combination overall is neutral as the opposite charges (H2 and O) balance each other out. Silicate and water molecules Capillary Wall - Water Interaction…
The Importance of Salts The importance of salts in rising damp can not be overstated. Salts are an extremely important but often much neglected aspect of rising damp. The rising water flow draws up diluted salts from the ground, depositing…