Damp advice needed

Toots0293

I’m in the middle of buying my first home (1902 end terrace house), and the survey flagged up potential rising damp. I then had a damp and timber survey carried out by a local man who was recommended to me several times (he also provides the damp proof coursing). I would have preferred to speak to a fully independent damp surveyor, who doesn’t carry out any damp works, but I struggled to find anyone. The house has had a previous damp proof course, although that was over 30 years ago. 

I have a little diagram of the walls that need injecting, which has percentages next to the walls (ranging from 7%-10%) - would this be the saturation level? From researching, there appears to be a question of whether these damp proof coursing companies are honest, or whether the damp proofing would actually help the damp at all. 

Has anyone else had a similar experience, and how did you deal with damp? The report suggests replacing some brick paving outside in the back garden with pebbles, but I’m not sure how people deal with it for the other walls. 

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. It might just be the fact that I was looking at terraced houses, but damp seems to have followed me throughout the entire house searching journey! 

NSG666

Have a look at this link and read some of the very informative articles. It won't make you an expert but you'll get a better understanding of the causes of, and hence the remedies for, damp.

The Fraud of Rising Damp (heritage-house.org)

stuart45

Although there are a lot of good facts on this site, I would disagree about rising damp only being an issue in the UK. I have worked in Germany, Belgium and Holland many years ago and a DPC was used in house walls back then. Also he claims there's nothing on the net about it abroad.
European attack on rising damp in buildings (tudelft.nl)
This is just one from Holland.  Google rising damp in Venice. 
The idea that rising damp didn't exist in Holland came from Jeff Howells book, in which he had a family weekend in Amsterdam and spoke to a builder who wasn't using a DPC. Now all the experts seem to be quoting Holland as an example.

FreeBear

stuart45 said: Google rising damp in Venice.

The buildings in Venice all sit with their foundations sunk in a tidal lagoon. Doesn't help that the area suffers from flooding several times a year. So not surprising that damp is a major issue causing damage not only to the buildings, but anything else sitting on/in the ground.

As for rising damp in the UK - Yes, it does exist, but it is no where as common as these damp proofing companies would have you believe. And where rising damp does exist, there is often an underlying problem such as water logged ground.

Back to the OP's post - The house had an injected DPC some 30 years ago... Why does this surveyor salesman think it needs doing again ?

A DPC should last the lifetime of the building, and presumably, the other work done at the same time (waterproof plaster, etc) should have "cured" the problem. The fact that this "expert" is recommending a repeat of the last round of "cures" should be a warning sign that it doesn't actually fix anything. As for the meter readings, they are pointless numbers presumably garnered from a damp meter stuck in to the wall (those things will only give a true indication when used on untreated timber).

Cutting back any paving up against the walls and digging a trench filled with gravel is about the only worthwhile suggestion in the report - It is something that you would be able to do yourself* for not a lot of money.

*) If it is block paving, the edging bricks need to be bedded down on concrete. Not an easy task if you are unaccustomed to DIY.

NSG666

stuart45 said:

Although there are a lot of good facts on this site, I would disagree about rising damp only being an issue in the UK. I have worked in Germany, Belgium and Holland many years ago and a DPC was used in house walls back then. Also he claims there's nothing on the net about it abroad.
European attack on rising damp in buildings (tudelft.nl)
This is just one from Holland.  Google rising damp in Venice. 
The idea that rising damp didn't exist in Holland came from Jeff Howells book, in which he had a family weekend in Amsterdam and spoke to a builder who wasn't using a DPC. Now all the experts seem to be quoting Holland as an example.

Cheers Stuart45. Following on from your post I found the link below and it seems rising damp is not as cut and dried (excuse the pun) as Jeff Howells makes out. That said they are on the same page when it comes to the use of resistance moisture meters: 

"From the above mentioned considerations, it is clear that resistance moisture meters do not provide a reliable account of the moisture content in masonry and cannot be considered suitable for the assessment of the effectiveness of interventions against rising damp."

Public - Emerisda

lookstraightahead

The thought of someone drilling holes in walls of old houses makes me shiver (although I do have COVID so maybe that's it).

please find someone independent who deals with houses of this age. 

FreeBear

lookstraightahead said: The thought of someone drilling holes in walls of old houses makes me shiver (although I do have COVID so maybe that's it).

There is a row of houses in my town. All within a conservation area (and I *think some are listed). One has had a load of schrijver damp carbunkles stuck in the front wall. Looks darned ugly, and I really hope the council prosecuted the firm that did the work.

uss_tish

Hi Toots, I am in the same situation as you. Had the local damp company around who suggested same solution. However, they have not (because they aren’t qualified to) located the source of the damp and after good advice on here, I have now found a local independent surveyor - would strongly advise you do the same. 

Toots0293

FreeBear said:

stuart45 said: Google rising damp in Venice.

The buildings in Venice all sit with their foundations sunk in a tidal lagoon. Doesn't help that the area suffers from flooding several times a year. So not surprising that damp is a major issue causing damage not only to the buildings, but anything else sitting on/in the ground.

As for rising damp in the UK - Yes, it does exist, but it is no where as common as these damp proofing companies would have you believe. And where rising damp does exist, there is often an underlying problem such as water logged ground.

Back to the OP's post - The house had an injected DPC some 30 years ago... Why does this surveyor salesman think it needs doing again ?

A DPC should last the lifetime of the building, and presumably, the other work done at the same time (waterproof plaster, etc) should have "cured" the problem. The fact that this "expert" is recommending a repeat of the last round of "cures" should be a warning sign that it doesn't actually fix anything. As for the meter readings, they are pointless numbers presumably garnered from a damp meter stuck in to the wall (those things will only give a true indication when used on untreated timber).

Cutting back any paving up against the walls and digging a trench filled with gravel is about the only worthwhile suggestion in the report - It is something that you would be able to do yourself* for not a lot of money.

*) If it is block paving, the edging bricks need to be bedded down on concrete. Not an easy task if you are unaccustomed to DIY.

Hi, thank you for the reply! Yes this is my worry!! It’s so hard to know the right thing to do, this being my first property and being so old. My main worry is that if I was to have the damp proofing works carried out, that needs to be done first (whole house needs redecorating) as it sounds a messy job. But I don’t want the works carried out unnecessarily if it’s not actually going to help - I’d rather try other options (especially when the quote for works is around £3k!) Also difficult to tell if the possible damp is caused by how the current owners live..

Toots0293

uss_tish said:

Hi Toots, I am in the same situation as you. Had the local damp company around who suggested same solution. However, they have not (because they aren’t qualified to) located the source of the damp and after good advice on here, I have now found a local independent surveyor - would strongly advise you do the same. 

Hi, glad to hear I’m not alone (although I’d rather neither of us have to deal with it!). My report just states that the previous damp proof course is no longer working so I should have it re-done (and suggested the pebble thing as mentioned above, which does make sense). That’s great you have found an independent - did you just search through Google? Most of the local ones to me just so happen to provide the works (which is exactly what I didn’t want). Has he visited the property yet? 

It’s so tricky, as I don’t actually own the property yet and the walls are covered in wallpaper / panelling - so have no idea if there are any tell-tale signs of damp (as it just sounds like the meter readings are high which suggests damp). 

Toots0293

Thank you all for your comments - it’s been a great help out of interest, what are the tell-tale signs of damp? As I don’t own the property yet, I’ve been relying on the surveyors report (which suggested possibly rising damp) and then the damp treatment guy. However, once I get the keys and start stripping the walls, I’m hoping that it might be easier to identify (so any help on what to look for / obvious signs would be great). I’m going to visit the house again soon before exchange, so is there anything I can do then? Although I doubt it, the wallpaper / panelling / decorations on the wall are so plentiful!!