Rising damp is a real concern in many households, and there are not many homes that are aware of rising damp until they are physically able to see it. Rising damp can be an extremely dangerous occurrence as it can weaken the house structure as moisture seeps into the foundation of the house, as well as into the outer structures. There are a number of causes of rising damp.
One of the main causes of rising damp is the absence of damp proofing in the house’s foundation. This means that the construction company or the person that was in charge of construction, decided to take a short cut or save costs by not putting in damp proofing when building the house. Another cause of rising damp is the use of substandard material or damp proofing. This is a common occurrence in modern houses as many contractors try and save costs on the building material because they are instructed to do so by the client, or due to the fact that they do so to offer competitive prices.
In the event that you are remodeling a house and decide to dig up the foundations, it is best to have a damp proofing specialist come and have a look to ensure that the house has sufficient damp proofing, or if it has any at all. In the event that there is an absence of damp proofing in the house, you’ll need to make sure that it is included in the foundation before you rebuild. Not only can the rising damp cause a collapse of a house, it can also cause severe illness.
The rising damp in the wall or foundation is the ideal breeding ground for fungi and other dangerous spores, that could lead to lowered immune systems and breathing problems. You can prevent all of above mentioned with proper damp proofing your house