This month I’d like to try something a little different and post two video’s which illustrate the principle of induced rising damp. To help you understand the background. some time back an academic paper was produced by M Torres and V P De Freitas which explained their experimental work in terms of what happens to masonry walls whenever we apply impermeable coatings or finishes to masonry walls. Their results proved that whenever a damp masonry wall has an impermeable coating applied, it loses the ability to lose moisture by the normal evaporative process and as a result damp is driven to greater heights in the wall. The more impermeable the coating, say, glazed wall tiles, then the more moisture will be driven to greater heights in the wall.
Who or What Causes Induced Rising Damp?
In general terms, we come across this issue commonly. because it is not a natural phenomena, rather, it is a manmade problem, more often seen where damp proofers have installed waterproof cementitious renders, renovating plasters, or tanking membranes. These systems trap moisture in the wall and drive it to greater heights which means that when these management systems fail. you will be left with a property that is significantly wetter, and significantly more expensive to remedy than if the system had never been installed. I’ve stated many times that naturally occurring rising damp is incredibly rare, and you will almost never encounter it, however, induced rising damp is incredibly common and I encounter one or two cases a month. In all cases I have to undo the damage done by these management systems, have the tanking systems removed and properly investigate the original and underlying source of dampness. The following two videos illustrate the principles just explained and I hope they serve as a warning to anyone considering having a management system of this type installed.
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