What is Damp Proofing?
Damp Proofing is a building construction process undertaken to prevent ingress of moisture and dampness into a habitable living space. Damp buildings can cause health issues and lead to further problems such as wet and dry rot fungus and decay.
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In building terms the idea of a damp course is to prevent physical entry of external moisture into a habitable living space. Moisture can enter a building in one of many ways but in the case of rising damp it can enter via moisture from the ground. In the case of ground water a physical damp course such as a polythene sheet is inserted in the lower courses of brick just above ground level in order to prevent moisture rising further up the external walls and into the building fabric.
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In the case of penetrating damp it is usually assumed that the external sealing, pointing and rainwater goods such as guttering and downspouts will drive away any external moisture subjected to the building before it may cause ingress to the internal surfaces.
In the case of condensation related dampness it is assumed that adequate ventilation and it's associated balance with the correct heating of a building will ensure that surface moisture is kept at bay and evaporated naturally.
We do however as contractors come across many situation where historic changes to the building envelope have caused dampness to be exasperated within the property and such a situation always requires further investigation in order to source the cause of the dampness and to remedy the problem effectively.