What are the best treatments for rising damp?
People make the mistake of rushing to buy painkillers for mere headaches. They forget that the headache could be a trigger for a bigger disease. Similarly, don’t rush to treat your walls before you clearly understand what is bringing about the rising damp problem. There can be a number of reasons why rising damp shows up in your home. Sometimes, it can be a simple problem that you can easily correct and life moves on as usual. The point is, the quick fixes you are rushing to might not help if you don’t treat the root of the problem. In fact, it can only add up to more costs as everything will have to be redone. The main cause of rising damp is basically the disconnection between the walls and the wet underneath conditions. That’s the barrier introduced by the damp proof course. Treatment should start there.
The preliminary check
It’s where you get to understand the extent of damage brought about by the rising damp problem and the areas affected. You can then figure out what is causing the rising damp after analyzing the features you see. Do you see any rotting? What are the heritage issues aligned to your property? What is your type of property? This analysis will bring out the best treatment for your problem. Then you can go to the implementation stage. There are several treatments for rising mains as discussed below.
Injection
If your walls do not lie over a damp proof course, then you need one installed there. Same case applies if your damp proof course is worn out. This time, installing a PVC membrane might not work as it works for new buildings. Injecting siliconate cream or solution is the perfect cure. But first, you will have to create holes on the regions affected to create enough space for the siliconate. It is seen as the best treatment being cost effective and easy to do. How much you drill will depend on the wall thickness.
Installing a physical membrane
All you need is a barrier between the walls and the underneath environment. That gives room for other techniques of treatments to be used. These include electro osmotic system installation or having a physical rising membrane in position. These applies best for professional treatments.
Deal with the aftermath
You are not yet done with treatments if you leave the affected plaster as it was. The cure should include getting rid of the plaster affected as well as any rotten timber. Without doing so, the salt already left in the plaster can go on absorbing moisture from the surroundings and maintaining dampness. Make sure you clean up the area and leave it safe.