A new (to me) book

[Moo]

From New Statesman, 21st July 2008 :

Holiday Reading
Francis Wheen

"Another masterpiece of debunking hat deserves a wide audience is The Rising Damp Myth by Jeff Howell (available from Askjeff.co.uk at £16.99). Howell, a professional bricklayer and university lecturer, demonstrates through exhaustive experimentation that "rising damp" in houses doesn't exist: it's a lucrative scam invented by damp-proofing companies in the 1960s. Who would have thought a book about moisture meters, chemical injections and capillary action could be so riveting, and so funny?"

 

[MdB]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2003/05/20/pjeff21.xml

A damp-proofing "guarantee" is usually meaningless, anyway. When called back, the salesman will take a drilled sample from the depth of the wall (which he should have done in the first place) and pronounce it dry. He will then point to the condensation, leaking gutters, raised ground levels etc, and explain that these are not covered by his guarantee.

 

[Schoolmarm]

I have owned that book for a few years. Absolutely brilliant. He made me feel confident enough to argue against all the rubbish that builders advise us to have.

 

[Simon Wright]

You'll find this book listed as the 'Book of the month' on the PPUK homepage.

 

[Penners]

Rising damp a myth?

Hmmm - I'm prepared to be convinced, but not until I'm offered a credible alternative explanation for this:



It's the back wall of a disused chimney that is (a) capped to prevent rain entry and (b) ventilated. I have checked to ensure that there's no leakage from the nearby central heating rad or pipework, and no descending damp from bad flashing around the chimney (there's no sign whatsoever of damp in or on the chimney upstairs).

It's in the centre of the house, adjacent to a concrete floor that has a DPM in it. There's no DPC in the chimney.

I am therefore forced to conclude that the subsoil damp is finding an escape route up the chimney brickwork. In other words, rising damp.

But I meant what I said. I am prepared/would love to be convinced otherwise.

 

[Matt Green]

It depends entirely on your definition of 'rising damp'.

Does water rise in the walls of buildings?
Yes, it does. And that can be proved. It's due in part to capillary action.

Will water rise in the walls of buildings without an obvious cause or explanation for it doing so other than purely as a result of capillary action?
Not very often at all. Rarely indeed. >insert another not-quite-never statement<

But really. Haven't we been here before?

 

[Craig]

Well, I think its cos you have used two different shades of paint.

Case solved :shock:

 

[skier-hughes]

Well, I think its cos you have used two different shades of paint.

Case solved :shock:

I'd second that, it's always a problem when you mix your own and never have quite enough, to then blame it on rising damp!!!!!

 

[Penners]

Does water rise in the walls of buildings?
Yes, it does. And that can be proved. It's due in part to capillary action.

Thanks for your view on that, Matt. I hoped you would reply.

Yes, we've been here many times, but apparently The Rising Damp Myth by Jeff Howell says this can't happen! I hasten to add that I haven't read the book, but according to reports....

Craig - many thanks. I shall remember that explanation when (if!) a prospective purchaser of our house notices the colour change in the paint:

"Damp? Oh, good gracious, no! I was experimenting with paint effects." :twisted:

 

[Flyfisher]

It depends entirely on your definition of 'rising damp'.

Does water rise in the walls of buildings?
Yes, it does. And that can be proved. It's due in part to capillary action.

Will water rise in the walls of buildings without an obvious cause or explanation for it doing so other than purely as a result of capillary action?
Not very often at all. Rarely indeed. >insert another not-quite-never statement<

Now you've confused and intrigued me. You say that water will rise within building walls (due to capilliary action) yet there is widespread dispute about whether 'rising damp' exists. So Penners might have water rising up his wall, causing it to be damp, but it's probably capilliary action because 'rising damp'' is a very, very rare phenomenon?

But, in practice, what's the difference? The effect is still to have a damp wall because of the water that has risen from the ground (as opposed to all the other possibilities like leaking pipes, gutters, roofs etc).

Meanwhile, I've ordered the book!

 

[Penners]

But, in practice, what's the difference?

I think Matt is saying that there isn't any difference. That rising damp does, in fact, exist and that capillary action is the method by which it rises (and he should know).

 

[Matt Green]

What I'm saying is that it depends upon what you want to call rising damp. Capillary action occurs in the walls of buildings resulting in water moving up the walls and finishes, it is my experience and my opinion* that capillary action is THE SOLE CAUSE (by which I mean that all other variables have been accounted for and conform to best building practice: ground levels, finishes, drainage, floor structure) of this phenomena in a staggeringly small number of cases.

IF rising damp = damp rising entirely as a result of capillary action and not influenced by any other factor,
THEN: its gosh-darned rare

IF rising damp = damp rising through walls as a result of capillary action influenced by ground levels, finishes, floor structure, drainage etc,
THEN: its gosh-darned common


Matt 'you'll miss me when I'm gone' Green

*and that of the company I work for in this case, although my views do not necessarily reflect the those of the company as a whole. And this is why some people should be allowed sig files, incidently....

 

[Flyfisher]

Thank you for the clarification. I think the thing that confused me was my (erroneous) interpretation that Matt was saying 'rising damp' (in its true sense) was something other than capilliary action whereas I couldn't think of any other mechanism by which water could be drawn upwards (well, transpiration in plants, of course, but that needs leaves ).

As for the 'rising damp' caused by ground levels, impermeable finishes, leaking gutters and downpipes, failed flashings and leaking roofs - I've got 'em all, although I'm making good progress at killing them off one by one.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Matt 'you'll miss me when I'm gone' Green

*and that of the company I work for in this case, although my views do not necessarily reflect the those of the company as a whole. And this is why some people should be allowed sig files, incidently....

You aren't going anywhere are you? :shock:

 

[Schoolmarm]

I have owned that book for a few years. Absolutely brilliant. He made me feel confident enough to argue against all the rubbish that builders advise us to have.

ooops just had a look and it is a different book that I own. Off to order the new one. :roll:

 

[Matt Green]

August 14th is my last day at Ridout Associates. :|

 

[Schoolmarm]

Why? Where are you going? :shock:

 

[skier-hughes]

He's been sacked for saying there's no such thing as rising damp :shock:


Hope it's onwards and upwards Matt?

Graham

 

[Matt Green]

...to work for another company as an urban entomologist. The company in question happens to have a 'property care' division that probably won't take too kindly to some of my views expressed here (although I am not working for that division directly). So I'll keep my views to myself. Who knows, somebody new might join with oblique pseudonym username who has similar views and experience, we'll have to see.

Posting from this account will terminate on the 14th. It was fun while it lasted ladies and gents.

 

[skier-hughes]

Look forward to meeting Glossy Blue on the 15th.

Many thanks for everything so far.

Graham