rising damp

[wigwag]

The front wall in my house appears to have rising damp, it looks to have been treated once already as there are holes in the bricks.

Do I go to the next brick up or can i use the same holes?, Or is there a certain size gap you need in between the treatments?

[mrpeter]

What do you anticipate doing using the same holes? Special equipment is required that can be hired to pressure inject to provide a DPC. When was it last done, ours has lasted for well over thirty years! Are the holes filled in with mortar?

[woodchopper]

Most companys guarantee their work for a period of 25yrs - check and see if the guarantee it still valid - if you have it.

[wigwag]

Not sure when it was last done only bought house 2 years ago and theres no paper work regarding the last treatment. the holes have not been filled in with morter

[pompei595]

The injection holes can be used again, or new ones drilled - some companies drill and inject the mortar beds.

Are the drill hoes correctly positioned? I am a surveyor and often find damp proof courses that have been incorrectly installed. The dpc needs to be at least 150mm above ground level, AND it must also be below the level of the floor, particularly if you have a wooden floor.

Finally, are you sure you still have a rising damp problem? When the work is done, it should be accompanied by the plaster being hacked off to a height of at least 1 metre, and then renovating plaster used to replace it. If this is not done, then the old contaminated plaster will continue to draw dampness out of the atmosphere and the wall will remain damp, though the new dpc itself might be fine!

It's worth getting a professional opinion, or you could needlessly spend loads of money!

[topman9thnov]

the only damp course that works is a traditional one.

[PAUL55]

Others may not agree, and i don't care what all these so called specialists say, but rising damp is a falacy, there is no such thing, water runs down with gravity. You must start looking for an alternative cause to the promlem,a leaking pipe, a leaky gutter overhead, porous walls, ground level too high outside etc, these are just a few examples, Find the root and you will solve it problem.