Rising Damp , Dryzone Is it anygood?

Dom29

for all your replies.
The strange thing is that when the damp "specialist" came across I kept interrupting him and asking the same question "wouldn't it be better to find the cause of the damp rather than just curing the symptoms ?" i must have asked this around 3 times and his reply was just to inject.. makes you think...

I had a quick look this morning and i have the feeling that the driveway is higher than the dpc.
Its a concrete driveway and if thats the case whats the best solution ?

DRP

I'd cut/dig it away from the house and put a drain in ( or just a ditch with chippings at the bottom).

I did the same with our block paving (obviously a bit simpler than a concrete drive). We lined the edge with rope-top edging.

Dom29

DRP wrote: »

I'd cut/dig it away from the house and put a drain in ( or just a ditch with chippings at the bottom).

I did the same with our block paving (obviously a bit simpler than a concrete drive). We lined the edge with rope-top edging.

I think im going to have a go at doing this. I had a look online and someone reccomended running perforated pipe under the stones/gravel if i dug a ditch . I took some pictures on the side of the house so you can get an idea of how it meets up to the wall. I have a feeling this is the cause of the problem due to the damp proof course being just underneith the concrete.

agentk

Could be a leak underground from one of those waste pipes or gulley.

bretts

Just to put my thoughts in it I have used the product, the wall I have put it on is an external wall but it is covered with kitchen units inside, so I cant really say if it worked or not but before I had put it I could see some mould on the units which I did not see this year so must have worked I would guess.

blackshirtuk

Dom29 wrote: »

The strange thing is that when the damp "specialist" came across I kept interrupting him and asking the same question "wouldn't it be better to find the cause of the damp rather than just curing the symptoms ?" i must have asked this around 3 times and his reply was just to inject.. makes you think...

Maybe because he only gets paid if you inject?

phil24_7

As DRP says. Cut about a foot of the concrete back and dig down 40-50 cm (make sure it is below the dpc). If possible run this ditch towards a garden to aid with drainage. Line the ditch with geotextile fabric (like weed suppressant but stronger) to stop the ditch filling with dirt and then fill it with pea gravel.

You may also wish to put a concrete lip or a course of bricks along the edge of the drive to stop most of the water getting into the ditch.

While you are doing this I would get the pointing sorted on the lower courses of bricks as they look very badly worn.

Regards
Phil

Dom29

Thanks for the advice i think im going to do this at the weekend.

I was thinking of injecting also if im going to all the trouble ontop of the pointing. Where abouts would i inject im guessing just above the DPC.

Would you suggest using a perforated pipe or just going for stones/gravel ?
Im planning on running the top section into the fall pipe drain and then the other to the garden drain.

Would it also be worth me painting the bricks underneath with some kind of water repellent?

phil24_7 wrote: »

As DRP says. Cut about a foot of the concrete back and dig down 40-50 cm (make sure it is below the dpc). If possible run this ditch towards a garden to aid with drainage. Line the ditch with geotextile fabric (like weed suppressant but stronger) to stop the ditch filling with dirt and then fill it with pea gravel.

You may also wish to put a concrete lip or a course of bricks along the edge of the drive to stop most of the water getting into the ditch.

While you are doing this I would get the pointing sorted on the lower courses of bricks as they look very badly worn.

Regards
Phil

phil24_7

Do not inject. You have a dpc to stop damp rising, use it, it is free!

Once you have stopped water getting above the dpc and repaired the pointing, everything will be fine!

Perforated pipe isn't going to hurt but don't go buying a shed load of it if you only need a short length (not sure what lengths they are supplied in). Check freebay/ebay/gumtree etc to see if you can get it in shorter lengths. A French drain will be almost as affective without the perforated pipe.

Don't paint the bricks with anything.

Lungboy

Was the damp "specialist" survey free by any chance?