how to locate damp proof course

How high is a damp proof course?

150mmEnsure the dpc is a minimum 150mm above external ground level.Sep 30, 2020

Can you replace a damp proof course?

The easiest way to solve the rising damp issue is to repair the existing damp proof course. An incorrectly fitted, bridged or damaged damp proof course presents water with an opportunity to rise above the damp proof course level and therefore cause damp problems in your property.Jul 11, 2019

Can you do a damp proof course yourself?

Now you can even obtain your own Product Guarantee Certificate after injecting your own damp proof course. The new generation of UltraCure DPC Creams have appeared and for the first time private individuals and developers, builders and DIY enthusiasts can reliably and cheaply inject their own chemical DPC.

How do I know if I need a new damp proof course?

Signs That You Need a Damp-Proof Course Black spot mould forming on interior walls. This is a common sign also of a condensation problem. Watermarks on walls formed by either rising damp or penetrating damp. Plaster peeling off walls and damage to other decorative finishes such as wallpaper.

How do I know if my damp course failed?

What are the signs of a faulty damp proof course?A damp tide mark, typically up to 1.5m high on your inner wall, external wall, or both caused by groundwater gradually rising through the porous surface of your brickwork.Damaged skirting boards.Peeling wallpaper.Salt deposits on wall.Blistering or peeling paint.More items...•Jul 10, 2018

What does damp proof course look like?

The most common type is the physical and visible DPC, often a type of thin waterproof material such as lead-lined bitumen, slate or plastic. These DPCs look like fine sheets of material situated between the brickwork of a building near ground level and can also be referred to as damp proof membranes.

How do you fix a damp internal wall?

How to repair a damp internal wallLocate the cause of your damp walls and fix this before continuing.Buy or hire a dehumidifier to completely dry out the room. ... Use a stain blocker to prevent future staining.Replaster your walls.Redecorate using paint, tiles or wallpaper.

Do all houses have damp proof course?

Chemical Injection DPC (Damp Proof Course) The vast majority of properties have been built with a DPC. This is designed to stop moisture from penetrating up past that point. Initially materials such as slate were used, which as we all know has been in existence for thousands of years.

What happens when a damp proof course fails?

When a damp proof course fails, it allows moisture to enter bricks and mortar. The materials in your home act like straws pulling moisture up from the ground. A DPC is installed to prevent this from happening. When a damp proof course fails, moisture can find a way in. When a DPC fails, and moisture begins to enter the brickwork of a building, ...

How long does a damp proof course last?

A damp proof course, even a properly-installed one, may only last for about 20-25 years. An incorrectly installed DPC likely won’t last this long. Also, if your home has a DPC that wasn’t installed correctly, it may have been letting moisture into the brickwork of your home for some time.

What is DPC injection?

DPC injection. Damp proof course injection is one of the most DIY-friendly form of fixing a DPC. This involves a chemical in liquid or cream form. This is injected into the fabric of your home at the level of the old DPC. It creates a water-repelling layer that will stop damp from rising.

What does rising damp mean?

If you have rising damp, it is likely your damp proof course has failed, or wasn’t installed at all. Either way, you need to fix your DPC.

What is it called when a DPC fails?

When a DPC fails, and moisture begins to enter the brickwork of a building, this is called rising damp. A home with rising damp will have a DPC that has failed. Or it may never have had a DPC installed in the first place. A damp proof course, even a properly-installed one, may only last for about 20-25 years. ...

What is an electro osmotic damp proof course?

An Electro Osmotic damp proof course uses wiring to create a small electric charge in the walls of your home. This electric charge reverses the capillary action in bricks and mortar.

What does it mean when you have a damp spot on your house?

Well, the damp gives us clues. If you have a damp ‘tide mark’ on the exterior or internal walls of your home, this is a sign of rising damp spreading up your walls. Penetrating damp leaves isolated patches of damp on the walls of your home. Rising damp, on the other hand, rises up through the brickwork.

What is the choice of material to function as an effective damp proof course?

The choice of material to function as an effective damp proof course requires a judicious selection. It depends upon the climate and atmospheric conditions, nature of the structure, and the situation where DPC is to be provided.

What are the properties of damp proofing material?

Properties of Materials for DPC. An effective damp proofing material should have the following properties; It should be impervious. It should be strong and durable and should be capable of withstanding both dead as well as live loads without damage. It should be dimensionally stable.

What is DPC material?

DPC Material for floors, roofs etc. For greater wall thickness or where DPC is to be laid over large areas such as floors, roofs, etc., the choice is limited to flexible materials that provide a lesser number of joints like mastic, asphalt, bitumen felts, plastic sheets, etc.

What should a DPC cover?

The DPC should cover the full thickness of the walls, excluding rendering. The mortar bed upon which the DPC is to be laid should be made level, even and free from projections. Uneven base is likely to cause damage to DPC.

What is a DPC?

What is DPC? The damp proof course (DPC) is generally applied at basement levels, which restricts the movement of moisture through walls and floors. The selection of materials for the damp proof course and its various methods of applications in buildings is discussed.

What are flexible materials?

Flexible Materials: Materials like bitumen felts (which may be hessian based or fiber/glass fiber-based), plastic sheeting (polythene sheets), etc. Semi-rigid Materials: Materials like mastic, asphalt, or a combination of materials or layers.

Did Victorian terrace houses have damp proof?

Victorian terrace houses didn't generally have damp-proof courses. You will probably get a few plausible suggestions as to what it might be but unless you get someone to look at the problem properly you might go round in circles. It could well be what you suggested regarding the paving, but there may be other factors.

Is there slate in my window?

There's no sign of slate in the pointing, or of holes drilled. Some of the damp is under window sills, but some of it not near any obvious cause. It's all original sash windows, which look pretty intact inside and out, but there is a lot of condensation from time to time.

Do air bricks have slate?

The air bricks are at floor level or just below, yes, if that would mean what you suggest (I don't really understand, sorry). There's a band of concrete at floor level that the air bricks are set into. There's no sign of slate in the pointing, or of holes drilled.

What causes damp proofing?

Common causes are solid floors or fabric such as internal plasters or external renders and sometimes via a build up of debris within wall cavities.

Where should a DPC be located?

Unlike timber suspended floors where the damp proof course will be sited below floor level with solid constructed floors the DPC should always be sited above finished floor level and should be visible. If you're unable to locate the DPC visually inside, then it's likely you'll have to undertake some disruptive work to find it.

Why do skirting boards decay?

Often you'll find the skirting boards suffer most in the scenario of an internal breach as moisture is drawn into the fabric plaster at the floor and wall interface. Often skirting boards situated at the floor wall junction will decay and reveal exceptionally high moisture levels when tested.

What is asphalt screed?

The asphalt screed provides a membrane to the surface of the concrete floor preventing moisture within the constructional slab causing decay to the floor coverings. It is essential that this surface membrane is maintained in sound condition.

Does plaster absorb moisture?

The solid floor incorporates no membrane therefore the plaster will absorb moisture from both the floor slab, evaporation at the floor/wall interface and form the brickwork below the DPC. The result is moisture creeping from the floor junction into the plaster.

Does asphalt screeding protect DPC?

The asphalt screed is commonly laid after the plaster work has been undertaken internally, therefore the asphalt does not meet the floor and wall interface and protect the DPC. Many properties of this era often have a shallow skirting board profile which often forces the plaster to extend into direct contact with the floor ...

Does plaster extend into contact with the floor?

The plaster also extends into contact with the floor, concealing the buildings damp proof course. Exceptionally high moisture levels recorded within the adjacent timber skirting boards. Decay observed to the reverse of the skirting boards at the floor / wall interface. Plaster extends into direct contact with the floor.

How to tell if your garage has a DPC

To find out if your garage has a DPC, you will need to look at the mortar joints above external ground level. Usually if a damp course is installed, you will be able to see a black line in between the mortar joint.

How to stop damp in your garage

Due to the way they are built garages are prone to damp. They are generally one skin of brick or concrete blocks, and they lack insulation. Also, as we have already mentioned, they may completely lack any damp proofing that you would find in your home.

Conclusion

Not all garages have a DPC. It is not a requirement with building regulations, so in many instances they will not be installed. However, if you are building a new garage from scratch, it would probably make sense to add one. After all it adds extra protection and will make your garage a more usable space.