Rising Damp | Descending Damp | Penetrating Damp
DAMPABILITY Building Renovations and Maintenance Specialize in a highly approved European method for the treatment of the above mentioned Damp Problems.
We have completed extremely successful projects with these applications that stretch over Johannesburg, North West Deep, Orange Free State, Cape Town and Pretoria. These Products have stood the test of time and have been used by most remedial contractors in Europe and the UK
Efflorescence is a stubborn problem that has caused confusion and trouble for masonry since the first time it appeared thousands of years ago on ancient masonry walls.
Efflorescence is normally the white powdery scum that appears on masonry walls. It can also be brown green or yellow, depending on the type of salts.
Nobody likes it, nobody wants it on their walls, and this persistent problem appears all over South Africa.
Soluble salts are left on the surface of masonry as the water evaporates. The solution migrates to the surface of the wall where the water evaporates, depositing the salt on the wall and generating the white powdery scum we know as Efflorescence.
Rising Damp in buildings occurs when water from the ground rises up through the bricks and mortar of a building by capillary action. Water rises up the wall of a building in the same way that a sponge soaks up water from a sink.
Any masonry structure unprotected by a proper DPC Damp Course to prevent rising Damp is susceptible to natural rising damp. Damp will rise by capillary action through the pores of the masonry seeking a means of evaporation.
The moisture will continue until it reaches a height where, unless no evaporation is possible, gravity takes over and it pulls it back down. The height is seldom more than 1.2 meters.
How do we fix this?
RISING DAMP – THE FULL MONTY
(10 YEAR WARRANTY WITH A 15 YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY)
We replace the original (failed) plastic damp course with a brand new Hybrid Silicone Damp course cream!
First we remove the affected plaster to brick level 1.2m from the highest ground level
Then we drill into the effected wall on the highest ground level. We drill these holes a minimum of 100mm apart, but in extreme Damp situations Drill 75mm or 50mm apart
We Inject the DPC Cream into the holes to completely fill the mortar bed.
Now you have a new Damp-course that will spread and prevent Rising damp!
DPC Installations are in accordance with BS6576:2005 DPC Cream is manufactured in the UK.
Our next action is to treat the open walls with a 2 coats of 47% Latex cementitious slurry, and re-plaster with a salt neutralizer to prevent salts from building up again.
We test the plaster moisture and on 11% moisture we apply a WET ON WET special plaster primer.
We recommend a high quality paint to be applied after primer. In doing this application carries a 10 year Solution with a 15 year plus life expectancy.
There is also a 5 year and 3 year solution available to treat rising damp.
Descending damp
The treatment for descending damp differs from rising damp. The only differences being:
- Find the source of the damp
- No DPC Injection required
Penetrating damp
Penetrating damp is caused by damp penetrating through walls due to backfills, flowerbeds, showers, fishponds, and any ground level that is above the existing DPC level.
Once again the most important part is to establish what causes the damp.
Once that is established, the problem can be addressed and treated with our high quality products.