Damp proof specialists in Southampton?

justjohn

Suzkin wrote: »

I've phoned Rentokill (after viewing their website), and it appeared from the receptionist (who asked me a LOT of questions), that they wopuldn't be able to help me as the walls are solid brick- ? It wasn't a problem for my neighbours (terraced), although they are not particularly 'nice' and so I wouldn't know who they used.

Apparently though I was still able to make an appointment with a surveyor (who has CSRT qual. and others). I was told they would put a 2-prong meter in the walls, and may also bore into the wall to take samples - ?? I feel very dubbious about this, and damp proof meter readings generally, although will take with the surveyor first. I KNOW there's a damp problem - this property has never been damp-proofed, and the walls are self-evident.
I'm also making an appointment via PCA website for a contractor to visit.

MMMMMmmm rentokil gave me a quote.

When you say solid brick do you mean

Solid large blocks of sandstone. Eg large blocks more or less same size??? This is what i call solid brick.

Or do you mean uneven sized bricks/rocks no cavity (i call this rubble wall) bit like a dry stone dyke but with cement? Rentokill will treat this. As they quoted on ours.

Sandstone block eg solid wall is recomended to be tanked (as far as i am led to believe) Often this type has massive flagstone sunk into the ground at the base. Many town halls/churchs are made like this.

Most buildings have some sort of dpc the quality and durability of it is debatable. They have been fully aware of the effect of damp for 100's of years.(slate,brick,tar,bitumen,non porus brick many things have been used)

This is my understanding of walls and dpc.

Modern creams and liquid were possible is injected into the mortar lines and stops water/moisture penetrating past the mortar lines. It uses the mortar lines as a barrier.

Suzkin

justjohn wrote: »

MMMMMmmm rentokil gave me a quote.

When you say solid brick do you mean

Solid large blocks of sandstone. Eg large blocks more or less same size??? This is what i call solid brick.

Or do you mean uneven sized bricks/rocks no cavity (i call this rubble wall) bit like a dry stone dyke but with cement? Rentokill will treat this. As they quoted on ours.

Sandstone block eg solid wall is recomended to be tanked (as far as i am led to believe) Often this type has massive flagstone sunk into the ground at the base. Many town halls/churchs are made like this.

Most buildings have some sort of dpc the quality and durability of it is debatable. They have been fully aware of the effect of damp for 100's of years.(slate,brick,tar,bitumen,non porus brick many things have been used)

This is my understanding of walls and dpc.

Modern creams and liquid were possible is injected into the mortar lines and stops water/moisture penetrating past the mortar lines. It uses the mortar lines as a barrier.

Hi JustJohn,

Thanks for your reassurance.

Front elevation of house is made of 9.5" breeze-block (I think, but solid) i.e. not sandstone, and not flint/rubble as you mention above.

Back elevation is 4" brick (again, what looks like breeze block) but has a stud wall inside as well.

Both front and back elevation is rendered (yuk). Front is tryolyne and back is smooth. I think the paintwork (and not the rendering per se) on back of house is peeling. The front elevation has hairline cracks also with a few small but visible patches of missing tryolyne. I THINK the sand/cement render is intact.

The rendering goes to the ground i.e. there is no dpc, nor has it been covered over - the hse is 150 years old, built 1860 (not listed), so I don't think damp proofing was ever addressed on this property.

The neighbours had dpc injected along the party wall, and the area needed to be reached from under the floorboards, since the 4" brick comprising the party wall was too thin to be drilled into.

[It's slightly irritating (and unhelpful) when receptionists try and make judgements themselves before I can even speak directly to a specialist (which was my experience with Rentokil)].

Suzkin

David_Aldred wrote: »

Hi Suzkin,
Is the damnpness confined to the outside walls or is it also on internal walls dividing rooms? Was the property built with a damp proof course?

The external walls will be subject to penetrating dampness and condensation the latter of which may be occurring within the wall itself during cold / wet weather. Is the outside rendered / painted? Have the external walls been re-pointed in cement mortar ? All of these and several other factors have a bearing upon unwanted levels of dampness within such solid external walls that can accumulate over time to give apparent low level dampness and sustain such even during more favourable weather.

The problem is these moisture sources such as penetrating dampness and condensation within the external wall itself can be difficult to differentiate between them and true rising dampness to such solid external walls, especially if the level of investigation is limited to electrical damp meters and drillings for carbide meter testing. Be aware that electrical damp meters used on the plaster surface and even carbide meters used on site are unable to confirm actual failure of a damp proof course, or differentiate such from penetrating dampness / condensation to external solid walls.

What you may have to do is cover all bases with any intended works because for example if you only treat for a guess at the problem being rising dampness such a system may not be able to hold back any penetrating dampness and therefore it would tend to fail over time.

Sometimes a good solution (though by no means the only one), if funds are available is to waterproof grade dry line external walls over their full height incorporating insulation and effective vapour barriers since such a system masks the effects of penetrating damp / any true rising damp whilst improving the insulation of the property. Kindest regards, David Aldred Independent damp and timber surveyor

Hi David,

Thanks again for your post. I've just realised I may have answered some of your questions in my reply to JustJohn above.

Would it be possible (wise) to dry-line the *internal* walls, say to the front elevation? Would this be similar solution to the one you've suggested above?

Having said this, it would make the room smaller (and it's already quite small), and the electrics would need bringing out from the walls..

If so, because of limited funds, could I tackle this in stages? e.g. the upstairs part first? The reason for this is that I've a large patch of 'live' salt deposits on the upstairs internal front elevation because the rendering is failing, and this needs patching / sealing / weatherproofing.

Btw: I've just read sankaroos post (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2181023) and now I'm confused about the value of having firms like Rentokil coming along....I told them I had some doubts about damp meters, myself..:(

rustybucket

When we bought our house, a surveyor said that we possibly had dap issues.

We had 5/6 quotes from damp proofing companies and none could agree where the damp issue was, all said it was in different places thanks to their damp meters.

We ended up paying someone to conduct tests on the walls for damp, the walls were bone dry but there was a damp issue and it was in the floors which had been replaced with concrete but no proper damp proof put in.

We replaced the front room floor, removed the concrete drive which had in fact was over the damp proof course and since then no more damp issues.

We had to pay a lot to do this but we could have wasted £1500 on getting the walls replastered etc so think the course of action that we took was right.

In a nutshell what I'm saying is check all possible reasons for the damp.

David_Aldred

Hi Suzkin,
Thanks for your post and you are quite correct there is nothing wrong at all in doing this in stages. Yes there is an increased thickness to the dry lining system compared to like for like plaster renewal but this can be kept to a minimum. Yes again the electric switches / sockets and any radiator pipes etc will need slight alteration to allow for the system but this is not a big problem compared with the advantages such a system brings to minimal thickness solid wall properties of this type. Kindest regards, Dave

Suzkin

Thanks for your reassurance, David. I went to B&Q this evening (My front door & frame) needs 'saving'..and briefly noticed what *looked* like panels of dry wall lining.

If the material *is* this, then I'll investigate prices - it may be worth purchasing the material itself and paying a builder for labour.

It's all a bit of a big undertaling for me (limited funds, and living on own), and so if it's okay with everyone, I may keep you all posted as things progress...

David_Aldred

Hi Suzkin - have sent you a private message regarding such systems - kindest regards Dave

Suzkin

Hi Dave, I've posted you a brief private message, and will then PM you again. Very much appreciated, Suzkin.