Raising Damp

[Francesca mathieu]

Hi there
I have a lime and stone 1650 cottage. We have raising damp. The builders tell us to tank it.

Is this the agreed method for stone and lime buildings?

 

[stuart45]

It's the agreed method with some damp proofing firms. Not with people who specialise in the restoration of old properties.
Tanking tends to trap moisture into the walls. Have a look at things like high ground levels and leaking gutters.
Is there gypsum plaster rather than lime plaster inside. Sand/cement pointing rather than lime pointing outside?

 

[bd000]

Hi,

In my limited experience with a Victorian property, what you want to do first is to locate and fix the source of the damp.

In our case we needed to get the outside floor level below the inside, then we put in a french drain (while we were at it) and sorted out the adjacent drains and gutters outside. Then, we re-plastered the affected areas on the inside with lime, so any residual moisture can evaporate.

We have been on a bit of a journey with this, as the treatment your builder suggests is the common "solution".. so I hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[Francesca mathieu]

the damp is coming up through the floor and the is obviously no damp prof course due to the houses age. We have not used Gypsum plaster and have distemper paint.

When it’s coming up through the ground, I really don’t know how to combat it

 

[Cubist]

Ground water levels have been, and are still, very high across the UK following the last two poor summers and these look set to continue. If you can positively discount any problems with rainwater drainage from the buildings gutters then your best defence against rising damp is to improve the drainage from the surrounding gardens and land by installing either French Drains or Zebcolm Trenches - the latter are described in detail elsewhere on this site - on the uphill aspects and any slopes beside the perimeter walls. This at least will serve to reduce the moisture content of the soils directly below the property and therefore inhibit the opportunity for moisture to rise through the masonry.

 

[almostatmywitsend]

Hi All, we are in a C16 cob, grade II group listed mid terrace. I won't bore you with our significant, ongoing damp issues now but would like to ask - has anyone have any experience of the Eco Tiffin Airdrain? Thanks in advance https://www.ecotiffin.co.uk/why-the-air-drain/

 

[Cubist]

Looks suspiciously like a Zebcolm Drain to me.

Hey Zebra/Malcolm, did you think to protect your IP?

 

[stuart45]

Hi All, we are in a C16 cob, grade II group listed mid terrace. I won't bore you with our significant, ongoing damp issues now but would like to ask - has anyone have any experience of the Eco Tiffin Airdrain? Thanks in advance https://www.ecotiffin.co.uk/why-the-air-drain/

That's basically what the Zebcolm is. Shame they didn't patent it.