Advanced Construction

A Big Issue in Buying an Old Property That Needs Renovation

If you are considering purchasing an older property, you should expect to deal with numerous issues, especially if you know it requires extensive house renovation work. However, there is one problem you must pay close attention to, namely damp.

Spotting damp issues

Many older houses have a few damp issues, that can include rising damp due to there not being a damp proof course installed, penetrating damp from damaged roofing, and even issues such as wet or dry rot. The biggest problem with these issues is not that they are there, but they can be misdiagnosed.

Rising damp is where groundwater rises through brickwork to reach a level of 1.5m high. It is a natural process, however, is easily prevented by installing a damp-proof course DPC. It may surprise you that the concept of a DPC has been around before the 1870’s, but even this can be problematic. For instance, materials used didn’t last or the DPC was bridged over time. Both of these can result in rising damp. It is worth noting that often, what is considered rising damp, is not. One classic example is wall plaster which is contaminated by hygroscopic salts. These will absorb moisture from the atmosphere and remain damp.

Fixing damp problems

Resolving damp issues in older houses needs to be tackled differently than with newer ones. The modern approach to sorting out a failed DPC and rising damp project is by inject a liquid silicone into the mortar joints, through small holes in the mortar. This will in essence create a new barrier that will stop the rising water and resolve the problem. This, however, is sometimes not recommended on thick stone walls, which are often seen in older buildings, so these have to be damp-proofed using a different method which often involves using ventilated membranes.

If you would like to make an appointment with our house renovation team, please contact Advanced Construction at (251) 424-4566 now, if you live in the Mobile, AL region.