Level 3 Survey Back, any Opinions Please?

Green_hopeful

And to put it into context we have a salty patch on our wall in the kitchen. It’s been like that for ages. I wash the salt off and it isn’t getting worse so I don’t worry too much. 

This website is quite fun and informative as well. https://www.heritage-house.org/

FreeBear

Green_hopeful said:

Oh if the damp people or the surveyor used a little two pronged damp meter they are a wally and don’t listen to them. Even the surveyors own guidance says they are only good for wood not walls. 

In the right hands, and used with a modicum of common sense, pointy damp meters can be used to isolate areas requiring further investigation. But to use one and claim that the displayed readings are definitive proof of "rising damp" is misleading at best, and fraud at the worst.

As for dew point - That is function of temperature, humidity, and air pressure. Two of those variables are missing from your surveyor's instrument. A little chart to give you some idea of where the dew point is in relation to air temperature and relative humidity (in the UK, air pressure will have a minimal effect) -> https://waterleak.co.uk/help-tips/dew-point-chart/ - As you can see, condensation will only really be a problem if RH is around 96% at 15°C.

A chemical DPC has already been injected in to the wall, thankfully in to the mortar joint (more on that in a sec) - This latest survey recommending the same again should tell you that it is a waste of money. The £2775+VAT would be better spent on reducing ground levels close to the outside walls, improving ventilation, insulating, and other general repairs. And having holes in the mortar joints, they can be hidden by repointing in lime.

stuart45

From Heritage House  

Did you know that in Holland, they don't even have damp courses? True... Even in new houses, damp proof courses are not required. They build their houses with their feet in the water, and they don't get damp walls. I teach Dutch architectural students at college, and they fall about laughing when we talk about what they call our 'Quaint English Custom' of damp courses and injection damp proofing. Sounds funny, but this is serious stuff - we are being defrauded to the tune of hundreds of millions a year, by chemical companies selling useless, fraudulent treatment.

In America they don't have a damp industry.  Try walking the streets of New York.  You won't see a single injection hole. When I describe what the damp industry does in this country, friends of mine in the States who are surveyors and conservation experts just howl with laughter. 

Looking at the Heritage House website, Peter Ward does make some strange claims. The one above for example.

I worked in Holland years ago and they were putting them in then. If you google Opstijgend Vocht you'll find loads of firms doing exactly the same as the ones here. America has the same to a lesser extent.

Here's one for example.

Opstijgend of optrekkend vocht in je muur? Behandeling & kosten - Aqua Protect

Mind_Overload

Thanks to everyone for giving great information.

I actually researched a few Damp Survey teams in the area I'm buying, and with the previous advise, looked for the one without any PCA affiliation, or the least, but it still came back with this, I feel I have wasted my time, although the report came back quickly. I will ask the questions people have said above and see how they respond.

Green_hopeful

marcus-darkus said:

Thanks to everyone for giving great information.

I actually researched a few Damp Survey teams in the area I'm buying, and with the previous advise, looked for the one without any PCA affiliation, or the least, but it still came back with this, I feel I have wasted my time, although the report came back quickly. I will ask the questions people have said above and see how they respond.

They may not accept the comments because many don’t but much of the knowledge relates to modern buildings not old solid wall buildings. As Free Bear says there are lots of more effective and cost effective measures you can take to reduce the risk of damp before injecting and tanking etc which doesn’t really work.