I Dont Want a Chemical DPC!

[Freelanders5]

I’ve recently brought a cottage circa 1912 that appears to have a couple of damp internal walls as diagnosed by the mortgage surveyors meter (yes I know its dubious) but the dining room wall that showed a ‘high reading’ now seems to be manifesting itself as damp, by generating strong musty smell on its other side in the kitchen cupboards. Although there is no visible spoiling of the wallpaper in the dining room where the readings were taken, this room wasnt heated or ventilated by the previous owner and I hoped the high readings were due to condensation.

I’ve spent 4 weeks reading up, and thanks to this site really don’t want a Chemical DPC, although each direction I turn tries to point me in that direction. I now don’t know which way to turn, Help!

Brief summary the external walls are rendered but seem free from problems, the issues are all with internal walls, there doesn’t seem to be any leaking plumbing etc, the walls are solid approx 8", the whole area has a clay substrate and does not drain well, we also have a well in the garden within 6ft of the house that after recent rain is within 3ft of the top. My recently gained expertise (thanks to this forum) leads me to believe the concrete floors and membrane installed by a previous owner may be the issue? Are vented skirtings the answer? How do we find a builder/surveyor/consultant who will advise on suitably sympathetic remedial building work?

Although we are very depressed about the dreaded damp word we accept work needs to be done its just what? how? and where? I’ve tried an independent surveyor who is a member of BWPDA, who will survey for £60 (seemed far too cheap to me) but whilst an independent appears to potentially favour chemical DPC’s, so back to square one!

Thanks for any advice, Stuart.

 

[Gervase]

You're right to be dubious about chemical DPCs, although the modern gravity-fed creams can be effective when used in brickwork. For stone, cob, clunch, gingerbread or anything else, they're next to useless.
What's your wall made of? And are you on level ground, in a dip, on a hill or somewhere in between?
I ask because clay can do funny things to a house - if you're in a dip and sitting on clay, then you'll have a head of water under the clay desperate to come up in any way it can. In that instance a concrete slab and physical DPC - coupled with underfloor drainage and maybe a pump - could be the only answer.
Otherwise there are several solutions, depending on your situation. You say you've recetnly bought the cottage, so clearly you're not being held to ransom by the mortgage company - I'd look around for genuine damp experts who know old properties and get one of them to have a look (there are some mentioned on this site and in the 'seeking experts' section). Unfortunately BWPDA membership in itself means little.

 

[Penners]

Unfortunately BWPDA membership in itself means little.

And only £60 for a survey must mean that the surveyor is hoping to generate the rest of his income from elsewhere.

Guess where.

 

[PC]

I would be interested to know what you get for £60.00.

Theres no way I could do a damp survey for £60.00 on a period property.

PC

 

[Flyfisher]

I might be new to this game but I wouldn't believe anyone could survey anything for £60 . . . unless they have another agenda.

 

[NT]

Have you checked the various points in the damp faq?

NT

 

[Nemesis]

Hmmm... they used to come free.

Damp meters must have gone up in price.

Same ol' rubbish I suspect, just it sounds much less of a con if you are charged for it.

 

[sarahj]

That's right, we were charded £60 for a damp survey by a Damp treatment company (we didn't know any better then) last year. Recommended chemical dpc in stone and rubble walls. Didn't mention faulty guttering, surveyor told me french drains were 'old fashioned'. Didn't mention deteriorated pointing or raised ground level. Also recommended their high tech plaster as well.

 

[Gervase]

What's really depressing is that countless thousands of people who don't know any better are falling for this snake-oil patter every year. There's a company near me whose vans I see in my travels, and every time I pass one I feel a pang of sympathy for the poor householder who is about to be ripped off and for the building about to be b*ggered about.
And now I see that B&Q are selling damp meters - a shade under £20 and guaranteed to detect damp in plaster, timber, stone and render. And, of course, with no caveats to the effect that more often than not the readings will be meaningless
As a result, I'm sure more people will be scared into doing completely the wrong thing with their houses.
Grrr!

 

[Freelanders5]

You're right to be dubious about chemical DPCs, although the modern gravity-fed creams can be effective when used in brickwork. For stone, cob, clunch, gingerbread or anything else, they're next to useless.

My walls are brick, does this mean I 'could' consider a gravity fed cream damp course ??

if you're in a dip and sitting on clay, then you'll have a head of water under the clay desperate to come up in any way it can. In that instance a concrete slab and physical DPC

We are on level ground, compared to surrounding propertys slightly raised, with a gentle 25m slope towards the road.

Thanks for your input so far guys !

Stuart

 

[Gervase]

You 'could' but only if other methods have been tried and found wanting. Injected DPCs - even gravity creams - have a high failure rate, and most installers will only issue a guarantee if they're used in conjunction with waterproof cementitious plasters which will merely displace the manifestation of your damp. And you'll be lucky if that guarantee is for more than a decade.
It sounds as if you are perfectly suited to perhaps the simplest damp cure of all - better drainage. If you're on sloping ground with a good distance between you and the boundary, then French drains and a careful check of the soil levels vis-a-vis your floor levels would seem to be the answer. And all a lot cheaper than an injected DPC.

 

[Freelanders5]

Interesting, although any ground work outside would be quite costly and destructive as the property is surrounded (at an acceptably low level) with prescrete decorative forecourt and pathways laid at a cost of £11k to the previous owner!

We have an scullery type room with cold slab, this with its original tiled and no doubt breathable floor doesnt appear to have any damp issues. Even though it has no windows and exposed brickwork there is no damp oudor. This really leads me to feel the 'new' concrete floors need to either come out (although to be replaced with what?) or to breath at the edges, but how? or to chance my arm with the cream DPC !

Stuart

 

[Freelanders5]

Just a bit of further info on the £60 survey. The guy in question claims total independence from any damp proofing firm, and to have absolutely no vested interest in the outcome of any surveys.

But theres no way £60 is economically viable to travel 30miles and do a proper survey hence my, and others opinion of a hidden agenda, in addition membership of the BWPDA somewhat underlines his belief in chemical DPC's.

Stuart

 

[Nemesis]

Does the guy actually install damp proofing?

 

[Cardiffbloke]

Hi, i have recently bought a 1908 cardiff semi and have been extensively working on just about every aspect of it. some time in the house's past, my hallway's beautiful Victorian mosaic floor was removed and replaced by a concrete monstrosity! i think this was as a result of some sort of dreadful damp, although the neighbours (who have lived here a lot longer) cannot remember any 'fuss' as a result of flooding, but most certainly SOMETHING happened as there are many clues suggesting either a localised internal flooding (maybe bathroom leak) or some sort of chronic damp problem. Anyway! I too have internal walls that are damp. I have stripped the flooring and skirtings away and can clearly see where the damp is coming up. My diagnosis is that it is coming from outside (where a particularly badly laid block pathway has been laid). My guess is that when it rains, some of the water is not draining away properly but soaking the clay undernaeth the house. This is then 'wicking' along under the house and under the 'beautiful' blue membrane of the hallway floor!! Then, unlike under my renovated and exceptionally well ventilated suspended floor in the front room it is not drying out but due to the fact it cant breath it is travelling along to the point of least resistance and then wicking up through the bricks of a wall some distance away from the external house wall. My proposal to remedy this is, come springtime when the days are longer and less sodden, completely strip out and rebuild the block paths and driveways surrounding my house. I want to lay proper drains designed to take away the water completely from around the house and connect them to the existing main drain that runs adjacent to the property. I am conivinced that all my damp problems in my home are caused by this awful block work which allows so much water to enter under the building. As for the damp internal walls, well, i am considering a short term DPC injection solution so i can continue to work on the ongoing priojects during the winter months. I know its heresy to say such a thing on here but i really need to be fitting skirtings back on etc etc and i feel that this Chem DPC will do the trick until a proper solution to the underlying problem is achieved.
As an aside.... what should i do with the concrete floor? as i dearly want to put the mosaic back down sometime in the future when i can afford it. Should i dig it up? its only 150 mm thick and not reinforced. if i do, what should i replace it with? Or do you think that once the drainage is sorted outside and the ground water problem (hopefully) goes away i can lay the tiles on top of the concrete?
sorry for the rambling! but i am Welsh.....

 

[NT]

chemical dpcs have so litle success rate that they really dont make sense unless and until everything else has been done

NT

 

[PC]

Hi Freelanders5

Not sure how being a member of the BWPDA underlines belief in chemical DPCs.

I'm an independent Surveyor, don't recommend chemical DPC's, Graham Coleman is an Independent Consultant member of the BWPDA he doesnt recommend DPC's. So not sure where your coming from!

I agree that a full damp survey cannot be undertaken for £60.00 with a written report.

PC

 

[Penners]

Just a bit of further info on the £60 survey. The guy in question claims total independence from any damp proofing firm, and to have absolutely no vested interest in the outcome of any surveys.

Then it would be very interesting to know how he earns his living. Is he perhaps a rich philanthropist who travels around incognito, doing damp surveys for people? Does he perhaps donate the £60 to a fluffy animal charity?

Why don't you ask him?

 

[Gervase]

Din't be silly, Penners, every last penny goes on flying lessons for the Tamworths.

 

[Penners]

every last penny goes on flying lessons for the Tamworths.

Sorry, Gervase. I'm being thick on that reference...