Published: 30 July 2021
Introduction
Mr E of Tonbridge, contacted Prokil Tunbridge Wells as he was concerned about dampness to the main walls in his dining room.
Damp Survey Findings
Neil Harrold, our Damp and Timber Surveyor visited the property to commence the full investigation of the areas requested. Internally using different types of Protimeter, tests were carried out to all accessible internal walls of the kitchen and dining room to check for any abnormalities in the plaster. Rising damp was detected to the rear kitchen party wall and to a small section of wall within the dining room area.
Externally there were signs of previous damp proof injection work and raised ground levels to the side and rear of the property.
Following the damp inspection Neil submitted his report to Mr E stating raised ground levels externally and the inadequate drainage around the perimeter of the property were causing the rising damp internally. Neil recommended the installation of a french drain which will prevent water and moisture travelling across the current damp proof course (DPC) and a damp proof membrane to the internal dining room wall.
The report included a detailed breakdown of the costs to install the waterproof membrane and french drain as requested.
Getting to Work
Step 1
External: Digging a trench along the left flank and rear two walls of the property.
Internal: Removing all the skirting boards and preparation of walls by way of removing affected plaster to 1 meter high in the dining area ready for the waterproof membrane installation.
Step 2
External: Removing all the waste from the trench.
Internal: A damp proof course (DPC) was injected into the masonry and a waterproof membrane was then attached to the affected walls followed by plasterboard.
Step 3
External: Filling in the trench with aggregate stones that will allow for water drainage.
Internal: Finally the treated areas were finished with a multi-finish plaster and existing skirting boards reinstated leaving the area ready to be decorated. All rubbish was removed.
The Finished Result
After installing the waterproof membrane and plastering, all the rubbish was removed and the area was left clean and tidy and ready to be used by Mr E.
For more information about our rising damp or penetrating damp solutions across the South of England and Wales, get in touch with our friendly team today. Call us on 0800 048 9488 or book a survey.
