Things To Know About The Damp Proof Course Or DPC

Rising damp is the most common form of structural dampness that mainly occurs due to the capillary action of water through the walls. This type of damp badly affects the internal and external walls of the property in Mosman, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs and Paddington. To fix rising damp, experts consider the damp proof course. This blog is based on the major facts of the damp proof course.

Causes Of Damp

Before knowing the functionality of a damp proof course, it’s essential to know the major causes of structural dampness. Most of the properties have some barriers that are mainly installed at the lower level of the wall for preventing water from rising up. This barrier is generally made of completely water-resistant and non-absorbant materials like bitumen, slate and plastic. According to the rising damp specialists, improper barrier or DPC is the main cause of structural dampness. Other causes of damp include:

• Dust and debris in the subfloor or wall cavity

• Internal and external renders

• Plaster overlapping

• Improper insulation materials

• Intersecting masonry structures

• Solid floors

What do you mean by DPC?

A DPC or damp proof course is a common treatment which is applied to both commercial and domestic properties for preventing the rising damp problems. According to the experts, excess moisture may lead to major lead to major problems like structural damage or timber decay. Properties without having effective DPC are prone to suffer from the following problems.

• Damp problems

• Dry rot

• Wet rot

• Black mould

• Rising Damp

Materials Used For DPC

There are several types of materials used for the damp proof course. Each material should have some essential properties. The material must be impervious, dimensionally stable, strong and very durable. Apart from that, it should be highly capable of bearing dead and live loads without single damage. Moreover, it must be free from deliquescent salts such as nitrates, chlorides & sulphates. The materials are mainly used for checking dampness. Depending on nature, damp proofing materials are classified into different types. They include:

Flexible Materials: Materials such as bitumen felts (which can be fibre or glass fibre-based or hessian based), plastic sheeting or polythene sheets, etc.

Semi-Rigid Materials: Semi-rigid Materials are highly essential for the damp proof course. Materials such as asphalt, mastic or combination of these materials.

Rigid Materials: Last but not the least like rigid materials such as slate, first-class bricks, cement concrete, stones, etc.

The damp proof course or DPC is an essential barrier that protects the property from structural damages. This is always applied at the basement level of the property, which can block the movement of excess moisture through floors and walls.

How Is The Rising Damp In Old Buildings Treated?

When the prime concern is treating the damp developed in old buildings in Inner West, Paddington, Eastern Suburbs, and Mosman, especially the ones built during pre-1919 times, then close discussion sessions are held to decide the most effective course of actions. So, when you look for rising damp solutions quote suitable to the listed property, then it is necessary to hire the professional experts who will conduct a full survey prior to giving the best treatment recommendation.

New buildings are normally attacked by mould build-up since moisture is not properly ventilated. But, for the older properties, the walls and ceilings were built up using the materials like stones are used which are breathable, that is the moisture has an easy pass-through from the walls.

Modern Type Waterproofing

Often arguments take place in regards to the way, the building had been built to keep the rooms damp free, but the truth is that these old buildings had been erected abiding by the modern waterproofing techniques. So, these properties either make use of the outdated methods for creating damp-proof courses or DPC, like jute, hessian, bitumen, and slate, or nothing at all.
At present modern times, DPCs are normally the plastic membrane or the chemical injections made to the walls – it is effective to prevent the damps from rising. DCPs need to be replaced over time since they undergo natural wear and tear, or are even affected by the home extensions done like the adjoining wall. Thus, for the perfect treatment, it is best to hire the professionals to decide on the rising damp solutions for the old buildings anywhere at Inner west, Paddington, Eastern Suburbs, and Mosman.

How is the Rising Damp Identified?

Identifying damps is relatively simpler. You might not be an expert but you can always check it out yourself. The moss formation on the walls on the building’s exteriors due to moisture present in the walls is the normal sign of rising damp.
Plasters on the internal walls might be damaged because of breakaway or cracks due to moisture. These cases need a detailed inspection of the bottom wall by the professionals. If the rising damp is present, then the dampness can be easily seen or felt.

Specific Treatments for the Rising Damp

You might be certain that your building is suffering from the effects of rising damp, then make sure to seek an expert opinion. The professionals shall carry out inspections and surveys while providing you with the best quotes on rising damp quotes. Being highly experienced, they shall inspect the entire building, and diagnose the chief cause to bring up the apt treatment solution for rising damp.

The Rising Damp Solution Treatment Includes:

• Injection of a chemical DCP
• Rotting joists or internal flooring replacement as it came to contact with the rising damp.
• Damaged interior plaster removal and replacement
• Bridged DPC that requires the soil and the bridging materials to be removed for enabling below the DPC, there is a minimum 150mm clearance.

Rising damp often causes the buildings to suffer from structural damages. Thus, just as the moss formations start taking place, you need to consult the professionals for rising damp solutions. First, they will conduct an inspection survey and decide on the treatment procedure to save your building on time.

What are the different types of materials of damp proof course?

Damp proof course or DPC is a barrier of waterproof materials that are generally built into the wall for preventing the moisture and make the building damp free. There are several types of materials for DPC or Damp Proof Course are widely used in building construction. Basically, DPC materials work based on the types of damps and the types of structural elements of the buildings.

Materials for the damp proof course

Following materials are widely used for damp proofing:

1) Flexible Materials for DPC

The materials which never deform their shapes and crack when a certain amount of load are applied on then are known as Flexible Materials. They are classified into four types.

Bitumen Mastic (Mastic Asphalt): This material contains bitumen or asphalt and is mixed with the fine sand in a hotter state to make an impermeable mass. It always provides better impervious layer but proper care is highly required in its laying.

Bitumen Felts (Sheets): It contains 6mm thick bitumen sheet. It is usually produced in rolls having an equal width to a brick wall.

Hot laid Bitumen: This material is widely used in bedding of mortar or cement concrete.

Metal Sheets: Metal sheets of aluminum, lead, and copper are generally used for preventing dampness, but they are expensive. These sheets are used throughout the wall thickness. The lead sheets are usually laid over the lime mortar but not with cement. The metal sheets can be coated with asphalt and the sheet thicknesses can not be more than 3mm.

2) Rigid Materials for DPC

Rigid materials never resist cracks and transverse stresses when they are subjected to severe loading. Rigid materials are generally classified into four different types. They include:

Rich Concrete: Thick layer (1.2cm to 4cm) of Rich Concrete painted with hot bitumen coats are used as horizontal DPC. It also prevents moisture penetration by capillary action. These layers are generally laid where the damp is not very excessive.

Mortar: Sand mortar and rich cement (2cm thick) are applied on the inner portion of the external wall. Basically, mortar is a vertical DPC.

Bricks: Dense or burnt bricks layers can generally be used as an effective and cheap DPC. They are laid in sand mortar and rich cement (1:3).

Stones slabs or Slates: Two layers of slates or slabs are laid in cement, and mortar and lime (1:1:6). They make the best DPC.

Damp proofing materials always protect the building from dampness. Apart from that, they also help to get rid of bacteria and mildew. In short, they keep you and your family safe and healthy always.

How to Prevent Rising Damp – Get a Comprehensive Guide

Repairing rising damp is not a difficult task. There are many ways that professional damp cleaners follow to repair damps. In this blog, we will discuss how rising damp specialists can repair the rising damp that exists in the inside and outside walls of your property. Let’s start the discussion stepwise.

Step 1: Inspection

Before your rising damp specialist starts with the process of preventing it you need to inspect or check the affected areas of your wall. Check whether your house has a DPC or Damp Proof Course or not. You must also check the exterior walls, damaged drains, pipelines of your property. During the checking process, consider these following things:

• Check the outside area of your property and make sure that the surfaces are not carrying water to a higher level of DPC.
• Check the drainpipes, roofs, blocked gutter properly.
• Check whether there are enough air-bricks surrounding the walls of your property.
• Check whether your chimney, bathrooms, boilers, and kitchens well ventilated or not.
• Check whether the grouting is intact between your shower and bathroom or not.
  Inspect all the pipework for any leaks.

Step 2: Creating a Damp Proof Barrier

Once the checking is completed, you must opt for a damp cleaning expert who can prevent your rising damps. Let’s discuss how they create a damp proof barrier professionally.

1. Firstly, experts start removing all the surface contamination as well as a loose material.
2. After that, they make holes in every intersection by using a cordless drilling machine. They drill the holes 15 cm above from the ground level.
3. Once done, they start cleaning the holes with the help of a compressed dry air bowel.
4. Now, they insert an injector cream into the drilled holes by using a simple inserting gun. This material starts diffusing within the damp wall and makes a water repellent barrier.

Step 3: Repairing damaged walls

After creating the DPB, professionals re-plaster the area internally as well as externally. To do this, they apply a special kind waterproofing agent to the walls.

Step 4: Redecoration

Once they re-plastered the wall, they start decorating the wall by using a preventative and very high-quality coating.

These are the most common steps that are followed by damp proofing specialists to prevent your rising damp. So, if you want to make sure that rising damp issue doesn’t happen to your walls then you must opt for waterproofing specialists as soon as possible.