I've never really seen the point of that photo by Peter Ward, as much as a photo of a damp interior wall doesn't prove rising damp does exist. There was some work done by Ralph Burkinshaw, who is quite well respected in the trade. He managed to get the damp to rise about 8 courses, although he points out that brickwork standing in a tray of water isn't normal conditions for a wall.
Rising Damp Internal Chimney Breast Eastbourne
- Thread starter RajaStyle
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I've never really seen the point of that photo by Peter Ward, as much as a photo of a damp interior wall doesn't prove rising damp does exist. There was some work done by Ralph Burkinshaw, who is quite well respected in the trade. He managed to get the damp to rise about 8 courses, although he points out that brickwork standing in a tray of water isn't normal conditions for a wall.
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I think the point is if bricks acted like a sponge, there would be a tideline half way up the wall, and there isn't.
My own opinion is that the problem is very complex, with many different factors in play in different situations, so there isn't any one right or wrong answer. Certainly in my own home, a wall that was absolutely wringing wet a metre up the wall when we inherited the house is now bone dry, and we have done absolutely nothing to it except live differently to the old man that used to live there with a coal fire every day...and who used to leave the room the other side of that wall unheated.
It depends on the type of bricks used. A really dense brick like an Accrington Nori would hardly absorb any moisture. Also, moisture evaporates from brickwork as it rises, so in many cases it won't go far. Strong cement mortars also are virtually impervious.
There used to be issues with a few new builds in the 70's and early 80's, when it was common practice for us to cut the DPM flush with the slab instead of lapping it over the inner skin. Damp was coming up in a few places and showing over the skirting boards.
There used to be issues with a few new builds in the 70's and early 80's, when it was common practice for us to cut the DPM flush with the slab instead of lapping it over the inner skin. Damp was coming up in a few places and showing over the skirting boards.
OP,
Capillary Action typically causes rising damp - its an extremely simple process thats been observed & studied over many years.
Capillary Action typically causes rising damp - its an extremely simple process thats been observed & studied over many years.
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