Hi there, I'm new to the forum but am after a little advice if at all possible?
Being both young and female unfortunately results in me falling victim to numerous unsubstantiated suggestions for remedial work to be carried out in my new property - and me treading water as I try to figure out the science behind the conflicting opinions and who to believe.
Being introduced to 'rising dampness' just a few weeks ago I gullibly allowed a salesman to convince me that all the plaster needed hacking off the internal and external walls and a cream injection damp course was needed. He quoted me up £5k to do the work. I got three more quotes in - they were all in the same ballpark. It's a big house, but my budget doesn't match it.
So I set to work. I have removed all the plaster, cleared out the very congested cavities, and fitted a traditional DPM into the inner leaf of all the external-facing cavity walls of my end terrace property. I have also injected Dryzone into the outside external leaf and all other interior walls. After doing the work I believe there was never a problem with rising damp, but rather the original damp course was breached from the clogged cavities.
Obviously I can see that the traditional DPM provides a physical barrier against the rising damp that was diagnosed, but I'm a little dubious of the effectiveness of the Dryzone. I called the helpline and I was informed that after a couple of days I should see a change in colour of the mortar. Other than a slight darkening of the mortar directly around each hole there is no other change to the mortar. I am now wary that I have spent £350 simply injecting lines of 'mayonnaise' into my walls as I don't see how these points can meet up and form an effective barrier.
I am now faced with re-plastering the walls. All the literature I've read suggests I use a 3:1 sand cement mix to essentially render and seal the inside of the house. But the outside is rendered and I'm worried that the house won't be able to breathe if I do this.
I have added 9"x6" plastic louver air bricks every 1.5m in all external walls as I read the original terracotta ones were only 20% efficient. The sub floor ventilation under the suspended wooden floors and airflow inside the cavities should now be ok, but I still don't want to suffocate the walls and stop moisture from drying out.
Please could you advise the best re-plastering material for me to finish the job? I have asked the 'professionals' but I'm just so fed up of salesmen looking at me with dollar signs in their eyes!
Being both young and female unfortunately results in me falling victim to numerous unsubstantiated suggestions for remedial work to be carried out in my new property - and me treading water as I try to figure out the science behind the conflicting opinions and who to believe.
Being introduced to 'rising dampness' just a few weeks ago I gullibly allowed a salesman to convince me that all the plaster needed hacking off the internal and external walls and a cream injection damp course was needed. He quoted me up £5k to do the work. I got three more quotes in - they were all in the same ballpark. It's a big house, but my budget doesn't match it.
So I set to work. I have removed all the plaster, cleared out the very congested cavities, and fitted a traditional DPM into the inner leaf of all the external-facing cavity walls of my end terrace property. I have also injected Dryzone into the outside external leaf and all other interior walls. After doing the work I believe there was never a problem with rising damp, but rather the original damp course was breached from the clogged cavities.
Obviously I can see that the traditional DPM provides a physical barrier against the rising damp that was diagnosed, but I'm a little dubious of the effectiveness of the Dryzone. I called the helpline and I was informed that after a couple of days I should see a change in colour of the mortar. Other than a slight darkening of the mortar directly around each hole there is no other change to the mortar. I am now wary that I have spent £350 simply injecting lines of 'mayonnaise' into my walls as I don't see how these points can meet up and form an effective barrier.
I am now faced with re-plastering the walls. All the literature I've read suggests I use a 3:1 sand cement mix to essentially render and seal the inside of the house. But the outside is rendered and I'm worried that the house won't be able to breathe if I do this.
I have added 9"x6" plastic louver air bricks every 1.5m in all external walls as I read the original terracotta ones were only 20% efficient. The sub floor ventilation under the suspended wooden floors and airflow inside the cavities should now be ok, but I still don't want to suffocate the walls and stop moisture from drying out.
Please could you advise the best re-plastering material for me to finish the job? I have asked the 'professionals' but I'm just so fed up of salesmen looking at me with dollar signs in their eyes!
