Interesting investigation of damp.

[gasbanni]

I read years ago that rising damp is primarily caused by leaking drains or other factors, that rising damp is a symptom of another problem .....not the problem itself.

I remember seeing brick piers stood up in water tanks as part of a research project, they couldn't cause rising damp to occur in any of the piers in its self, hence the conclusion that other factors were causing the problem.

 

[^woody^]

There are several factors which permit moiture to disperse through a material. For your piers example, the clay, burning and mortar mix are some factors.

You're treading on Softus's toes with the "rising damp doesn't exist" argument. He bored himself to death with it.

BTW, rising damp is primarily caused by water falling out of the sky.

 

[wessex101]

That test to see if they could replicate rising damp by building brick piers sat in a tray of water has been widely debunked. The brick piers had evapouration on all 4 faces which impeded the rising damp and was not a realistic test, unless of course you live on top of a 9 inch brick pier sat in a tray of water.

I quite like Peter Ward but you have to remember his youtube videos and website are purely there to sell his services so he tells potential clients what they want to hear, "Your house isn't damp, rising damp is a myth and all surveyors are idiots"

The problem is the remedial damp proof course industry has had more than it's fair share of cowboys mis-diagnosing rising damp to sell their products so now nobody believes a word they say.

 

[Ian H]

I'm at the university of Uppermill(f) today conducting test on leaking drains.

No damp to be seen despite a long term leaking internal rest bend.

 

[^woody^]

I look forward to your Thesis

 

[Ian H]

I'll keep it brief for all you uneducated folk.

Conclusion:

It's ****ed.

The end.

 

[gasbanni]

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjAPegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw3QSc3O7Ej4vB4Rch-ELAra

This seems pretty definitive.

 

[John D v2.0]

All old houses are in equilibrium.
Gravity Vs evaporation/ventilation Vs water
Water will soak in until limited by one of the other factors, or a dpc.
Mess with any of the variables and you'll possibly notice a damp problem that requires a new dpc or a change Back in the variables that caused it.
Depending what you're selling, you can recommend appropriately.
None are wrong, just different.