where is the damp course on a house

Full Answer

What is a damp proof course?

What is a damp proof course? A damp proof course (DPC) is a layer near the bot­tom of the walls of a house which pre­vents ris­ing damp. In a prop­erty with­out a DPC, water can rise up from the ground through cap­il­lary action and through porous ele­ments in your brick­work.

What is the best way to damp proof your home?

Damp proofing rods are very easy to install and will keep your home protected for years. When using a chemical DPC isn’t an option, this method is often used. 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 a house is damp?

If a house is suffering from a damp problem, it means there's unwanted moisture. It's usually found in the walls, ceilings or floors. A damp problem can occur for a number of reasons. These include:

How do you check for Rising Damp in a house?

To check for areas of damp in a house, carefully examine walls, floors and ceilings for any tell-tale signs. Feel for wet patches and peek under flooring that appears to be lifting. If you suspect your house could have rising damp, a useful trick is to run your hands across the affected area.

How can a damp proof course be replaced?

What is damp proofing?

How do you know if your house is damp?

What is damp proof course?

What causes damp in a house?

What is the third type of damp?

What is damp water?

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How do I know where my damp course is?

You can find your DPC by taking a look at the external wall. Look down at ground level and look up about 6 inches or so up the wall. Somewhere around here you will see a thin black line of either slate or plastic running horizontally across the brick work.

What does a damp 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 know if your damp proof course has failed?

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.

Do all houses have a damp proof course?

Although building regulations require the inclusion of a damp proof course in any new building, they do not specify one single material. It may be built from 'bituminous material, polyethylene, engineering bricks or slates in cement mortar or any other material that will prevent the passage of moisture. '

Should damp proof course be visible?

The damp proof course may not be visible because of the external render which if correctly finished should stop at the dpc level and not go below it. If you are unsure that it is there it should be very easy for your builder to show you.

Does putting the heating on help damp?

The warmer the air, the more water and moisture it can hold. Therefore, heating can help with excessive damp because it increases the water-holding capacity of the air and makes it, as a result, less likely to become saturated.

How long should a damp course last?

20-25 yearsTypically, a physical damp proof course lasts for 20-25 years and can fail due to it not being fitted properly or deterioration.

Can blocked air bricks cause damp?

If the brick is old and impaired coverage the rain can come through and damp it on the inside.

How do you fix a damp course?

The most common and effective way to treat rising damp is to install a remedial damp proof course by injecting a water repellent damp proof cream into the mortar bed joint of affected walls.

How far below damp course should paving be?

150mmThe standard arrangement. Paving is kept at least 150mm below the dpc and slopes away from the wall at around 1:60. This may need to be increased to 1:40 for some 'difficult to drain' pavings, such as riven flags, or may be decreased for well-draining pavings, such as blocks or plain concrete.

Do I need a damp proof certificate to sell my house?

The simple answer is 'yes', but it depends on the price you want to sell for. Obviously, in most cases, a survey will be carried out and damp issues will be revealed. If that is the case, a mortgage lender will more often than not require further investigation from a specialist surveyor.

Can you concrete above damp course?

No you can not put the dpm above the damp course as you will be bridging the damp course. The damp will rise through the concrete, reach the dpm then move to the bricks then up. You need to protect the bricks above the damp course and below the dpm to stop the damp rising.

Damp-proof Courses | Damp Proofing | Screwfix.com

Damp-proof courses also known as DPCs are protective barriers inserted into the building's structure above ground level. Applied horizontally they are designed to prevent damp caused by moisture rising from the ground and into the structure of the building.

Damp Proof Course - What it is & the different DPCs available

What is a damp proof course? A damp proof course is a treatment applied to domestic and commercial properties to prevent damp problems occurring.. Damp proof courses can be crucial for the health and protection of your property, especially in this wet country where around 272,000 gallons of rain water falls every year.

What is damp proof course?

A damp proof course (DPC) is a barrier that stops the water from rising.

How can a damp proof course be replaced?

You’d be forgiven for thinking that it will be incredibly difficult and expensive to replace a DPC that has failed. In fact, it is now easier than you might expect.

What is damp proofing?

A damp proof membrane is a sheet of waterproof material inserted under a concrete floor. Together, the course and membrane seal a property and protect it from ground water.

How do you know if your house is damp?

Isolated damp patches might start appearing on walls. Walls themselves might feel damp to the touch. Plaster or paint might have visible cracks and may start flaking away. We might also see mouldy spots appear, and all of this is often accompanied by a fairly unpleasant musty, damp smell.

What causes damp in a house?

Penetrating damp – essentially when water penetrates through from the outside of a property to the internal walls, this is is usually caused by some sort of building or structural defect, such as a leaking pipe, a cracked guttering, for example.

What is the third type of damp?

However, the third type of damp – rising damp – can be more troublesome and it’s with this type of damp that you really need to know what a damp course is.

What is damp water?

The problem with damp, in a nutshell, is that water rises. The technical term for this is capillary action. It’s also often referred to as wicking. Basically liquid (usually water) will naturally flow in narrow spaces (such as a wall). This means that, over time, an amount of ground water will naturally rise up through the wall or the floor of a building. Indeed, most floors or walls will allow some water to do so.

Where does damping occur?

Damp can occur on interior and exterior walls.

What does it mean when a house is damp?

If a house is suffering from a damp problem, it means there's unwanted moisture. It's usually found in the walls, ceilings or floors.

What causes damp?

If a house is suffering from a damp problem, it means there's unwanted moisture. It's usually found in the walls, ceilings or floors.

How do you know if you have rising damp?

These include: Damp patches that start at the base of a wall and gradually move upwards. Skirting boards or plaster that is damp or rotting.

How to tell if a wall is damp?

If you're worried that rising damp could be a problem, there are some particular signs that you can look out for. These include: 1 Damp patches that start at the base of a wall and gradually move upwards. 2 Skirting boards or plaster that is damp or rotting 3 Floor coverings, such as tiles, vinyl or carpet, that are wet and lifting 4 Peeling paint or wallpaper 5 The appearance of a white, powdery salt-like substance on a wall 6 Yellow or brown tide marks or staining on a wall

How to check for dampness in a house?

To check for areas of damp in a house, carefully examine walls, floors and ceilings for any tell-tale signs. Feel for damp patches and peek under flooring that appears to be lifting. If you suspect your house could have rising damp, a useful trick is to run your hands across the affected area. If it's damp, you should be able to feel ...

Why is my roof damp?

A damp problem can occur for a number of reasons. Some of these could be: leaking pipes. broken or missing roof tiles. moisture rising up from soil. bricks that are porous. A small patch of damp on a wall initially might not seem too bad, but if it's not dealt with, it can cause problems.

What is damp proof course?

What is a damp proof course? A damp proof course (DPC) is a form of damp proofing installed in a property to prevent rising damp and associated problems. There are various methods to install a DPC so our guide will help you to understand the different types of damp proof course available,why a DPC might fail, and how to fix a broken DPC.

How to fix damp caused by a failed damp proof course?

Sometimes called a ‘remedial’ damp proof course, this process involves the injection of a ‘damp proof cream’ made from a silicone-based liquid that reacts with the silica in the masonry to produce a water-repelling layer within the wall.

How far from the base of a wall should damp proof be applied?

The damp proof injection is applied at no less than 150mm from the base of the wall and is often a more practical solution than other “solid” damp proof courses.

Why do we need damp proofing?

This form of damp proofing is often used to protect properties from penetrating damp problems when the home has earth retaining walls.

When did damp proofing start?

These in-built damp proof courses are usually very effective, however, the widespread use of DPC’s only came about in the 1920s. As a great number of houses in the UK are older than this, so it is possible that your property does not have a damp proof course. If your property was built after 1920 it is also possible that your current damp proof course has weakened and failed over time to allow water ingress and potential rising damp problems.

Do you need a professional inspection of damp proof?

In circumstances such as this, we would always recommend a professional inspection of the faulty damp proof course to evaluate any necessary repairs.

Does my property have a damp proof course?

Generally during the construction of the property, there will be a mortar course with a damp proof material inserted into the structure just slightly above ground level.

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 is a DPC course?

Damp Proof Course (DPC) The purpose of the outer skin of a building is to keep moisture out of the house structure. A damp proof course, in the brick veneer example shown below, has two purposes: It prevents moisture from the ground rising up through the external brick skin.

What is a DPC in brick?

The DPC, which is usually polyethylene, should be the full width of the brickwork. The other edge of the DPC should be fixed to the face of the bottom plate of the wall frame.

How do you fix a broken damp proof course?

Installing the original DPC from scratch would be complex and costly. This involves removing sections of the brickwork to add the new damp proof course. You then replace the bricks and mortar and move onto the next section. This isn’t a job for someone without experience. You will need to hire a professional for this type of job and it can be quite expensive.

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.

How to fix a DPC?

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. Chemical DPC is widely available. All you need is a drill capable of drilling holes in the bricks, and to follow the instructions!

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.

How to tell if your house is damp?

But how can you tell why this damp is happening? 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. So, if your damp is at a consistent level on the walls of your home, you have rising damp.

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.

How high does damp rise?

Either way, you need to fix your DPC. Rising damp typically only rises to about 1.5m on the walls of your home. After that, gravity takes affects, and the water cannot rise any more. So, if there is evidence of damp up to this height, it has been caused by groundwater. Other tell-tale signs of rising damp include:

How can a damp proof course be replaced?

You’d be forgiven for thinking that it will be incredibly difficult and expensive to replace a DPC that has failed. In fact, it is now easier than you might expect.

What is damp proofing?

A damp proof membrane is a sheet of waterproof material inserted under a concrete floor. Together, the course and membrane seal a property and protect it from ground water.

How do you know if your house is damp?

Isolated damp patches might start appearing on walls. Walls themselves might feel damp to the touch. Plaster or paint might have visible cracks and may start flaking away. We might also see mouldy spots appear, and all of this is often accompanied by a fairly unpleasant musty, damp smell.

What is damp proof course?

A damp proof course (DPC) is a barrier that stops the water from rising.

What causes damp in a house?

Penetrating damp – essentially when water penetrates through from the outside of a property to the internal walls, this is is usually caused by some sort of building or structural defect, such as a leaking pipe, a cracked guttering, for example.

What is the third type of damp?

However, the third type of damp – rising damp – can be more troublesome and it’s with this type of damp that you really need to know what a damp course is.

What is damp water?

The problem with damp, in a nutshell, is that water rises. The technical term for this is capillary action. It’s also often referred to as wicking. Basically liquid (usually water) will naturally flow in narrow spaces (such as a wall). This means that, over time, an amount of ground water will naturally rise up through the wall or the floor of a building. Indeed, most floors or walls will allow some water to do so.

What Is A Damp-Proof Course Made from?

• Pre-1900 prop­er­ties were tra­di­tion­ally built with slate DPCs. More recent houses have plas­tic. DPCs can be made out of a num­ber of mate­ri­als. Although build­ing reg­u­la­tions require the inclu­sion of a damp proof course in any new build­ing, they do not spec­ify one sin­gle mate­r­ial. It …

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What Does A Damp-Proof Course Look like?

Why Is It Important to Know Where Your Damp-Proof Course is?