Damp proofing a wall.

[spada01]

It's at a mate's flat (1890 conversion). Serious damp inside. I've checked the usual things like soil/building over air block, obvious source of water etc outside and not found anything.

We purchased a reputable DPC silicone based cream, followed the instructions and a few weeks later and the damp's still there. Next thing on our minds is a waterproof render, however this still leaves the bricks wet and has more masked than solved the problems.

I've had experience myself of damp problems in an old 1800s house and paying for a damp survey and injection DPC helped little and only the waterproof render resolved.

 

[spada01]

Anyone got experience with damp proofing?

 

[wavetrain]

It's at a mate's flat (1890 conversion). Serious damp inside. I've checked the usual things like soil/building over air block, obvious source of water etc outside and not found anything.

Doesn't the 'usual thing' also involve looking at the DPC outside and inside(by lifting floorboards), DPC height above ground, DPC type etc.

What were your findings on these points?

I have used silicone treatment at home but I would only recommend a siliconate transfusion which is a gravity fed system with no wastage via hidden voids over a 2 week period using your own improvised equipment.

Damp meter readings taken inside and out over a several month period after silicone transfusion but before waterproof 3:1 internal render was applied suggested the silicone treatemnt had 'worked'.

 

[foxhole]

We purchased a reputable DPC silicone based cream, followed the instructions and a few weeks later and the damp's still there.

A few weeks?, damps takes months to dry out even in good weather.
Did you check external window reveal, guttering , downpipes,drains etc. all a source of damp if faulty.

 

[spada01]

Hi guys:

Wavetrain - re: DPC heights, type, checking etc. It's an 1890s property - it wasn't built with a DPC

Foxhole: We've checked the items you listed. Accepted, that it's currently very wet and cold. I was very dubious when we put in the silicone cream that it would do a lot. The suggested amount per hole wasn't to fill it, but to put some in that would hopefully run along the hole which seemed odd.

We're now looking at the waterproof render which will at least mask the damp if not cure it in the wall.