Damp proof course -yes or no? Discuss!

[classybird]

Damp proof course, yes or no? Discuss! Interested to hear your opinions!

 

[^woody^]

No.

Study something that covers more than damp proofing.

 

[classybird]

Sorry, I don't mean to study, I mean what you would have done to your house.

 

[stuart45]

What type of DPC do you mean. One that's pumped into your walls or one that's rolled out on top of the brickwork?

 

[classybird]

Well I don't know about the one rolled over brickwork. But aren't people advised to have the holes drilled into brickwork and chemicals pumped in, together with half the paster knocked off the ground floor and more chemicals to treat under that -or something? Should people bother or not? I'm interested to hear people's opinions.

 

[stuart45]

People are advised that, normally by the saleman that comes round with his dampmeter. Said to be one of the most mis sold products in the last 30 odd years in the building trade.

 

[classybird]

Well this is what I am wondering. I heard an interesting opinion recently, I will save it for now but interested to hear opinions of th in the know, both those who say yes it must be done, and those who say why bother -type of thing.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If you've got one (slate or polythene or whatever) then happy days. If you haven't got one but you can control external ground level (ie make sure internal floor level is well above external ground level) and maintain rainwater goods to keep the wall as dry as possible then don't bother spending an arm and a leg on snake oil salesmen.

 

[tomfe]

I am not sure I believe in rising damp. I remember a study by BRE or RICS where they tried to duplicate it can could not.
Having said that for the cost and inconvenience of a roll of dpm/c it's not worth risking it is.

 

[WabbitPoo]

OP is talking about injected after-market damp proofing.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

If the house is less than about 150 years old, it will have a damp proof course. If it doesn't, but you don't have a damp problem, you don't need a damp proof course.

 

[jeds]

Ahh, 'The Rising Damp Myth'. As a surveyor I can confidently say that in 99% of cases dampness in walls is due to something other than rising damp. I say 99% because just occasionally there is no other identifiable cause and rising dampness just seems the obvious candidate. I know the arguments about people testing materials in workshops and finding it difficult to get dampness to rise but they can't possibly replicate every single situation and environment and they certainly can't replicate 100 year old mortar infested with hygroscopic salts. We also know for a fact that moisture does rise within the pores of many different materials - so why not certain 100 year old salty mortars? So I'm left thinking it must be at least possible although it is much rarer than a lot of preservation sales people would have you believe.

 

[^woody^]

Where is Softus when you need him?

 

[classybird]

So the reason I was asking was because I'm buying a house that has had no DPC. This has been flagged up by the surveyor who if course says it needs to have one. But when I spoke to a builder he said why bother, these houses have stood for 100 years and been totally fine, then people started coming along and saying 'Oh you need a DPC'. Interesting opinion I thought and just wanted to see what others with some knowledge thought.

 

[stuart45]

Has the house got damp problems?