How to Treat Rising Damp with DPC Injection Cream
There has been a lot of precipitation in recent weeks and, as the winter progresses, there is apt to be a lot more. One of the effects of all this extra liquid is that the water table rises and this can lead to rising damp. Correcting the problem is a matter of swift, cost-effective simplicity when you use the comprehensive Rising Damp Kit from Twistfix.
A high level of groundwater is one of the leading causes of rising damp. The water seeps into the masonry through its microscopic pores where, through a process of capillary action, it rises through the wall. The moisture then evaporates, leaving behind the nitrates and chlorides (collectively referred to as 'hygroscopic salts') that it naturally contains.
'Hygroscopic' means that the salts have the tendency to absorb moisture from the air. Thus, the more salts are left behind after evaporation, the more moisture will be drawn into the wall, exacerbating the problem.
Buildings which do not have a damp proof course (DPC) are the most likely to experience a rising damp problem. It is also common in structures where the DPC has failed for some reason, often because it has been bridged. Removing the bridge (by, for example, clearing blocked cavities or lowering external ground levels) can sometimes resolve the problem. Injecting a new DPC with the Twistfix Rising Damp Kit is the most decisive solution.
Everything you need to treat 15 metres of 9" masonry walls or 30 metres of single-leaf wall is included within the Twistfix Rising Damp Kit. You start by removing skirting boards and plaster before drilling 12 millimetre holes into the bed joints using one of the two professional SDS drill bits provided in the kit. The holes should be drilled to a depth of 90% of the thickness of the wall at intervals of between 100 and 120 millimetres.
The kit contains eight cartridges of DAMP CURE specialist damp proofing cream. First put on the protective gloves included with the kit. Next, load a cartridge into the provided caulking gun and fill the pre-drilled holes with the cream to within 10 millimetres of the surface of the wall. Use the included injection extension tube if necessary. The cream will migrate thoroughly and deeply into the masonry to line the capillary pores, forming a reliable and lasting chemical DPC.
Now you can mix the included plaster additive with 25 litres of clean water and add it to a render mix. Use this to re-plaster the walls, taking care to avoid bridging the DPC line with the render. The plaster additive works to inhibit salt movement during the drying-out process of the damp wall. Finish by refitting or renewing the skirting boards and making good.
Full details of our Rising Damp Kit, along with our complete collection of damp solutions, can be found on the Twistfix website. For a visual guide on using the kit, please view the video on our YouTube channel. To receive the latest news and much more from us, please subscribe to our newsletter.