Rising damp

Let’s begin by describing rising damp.  Rising damp is the effect of water rising from the ground or exterior walls into the property.

A damp-proof course, laid at the time of construction, prevents damp from the ground rising up the walls and damaging your property. Properties which have inadequate or no appropriate damp protection layer may be affected by excess moisture rising from the ground.  Similarly older buildings where the damp course may have deteriorated over time may experience rising damp issues.

With the appearance of rising damp you will notice that the walls just above the floors will start to bubble and discolour and a white powder begins to form – this is called efflorescence.

If you prick the bubbles, they are often damp. This is an early warning sign that the building’s damp course is or has failed and time to call in the experts.  Unless something pro-active is done, the discolouration and wetness will simply spread both vertically and horizontally in the walls.

Article courtesy of Marina Constas and Karen Bleijs Demystifying Sectional Title

In the next newsletter we will look at Who is responsible to pay for repairing damp in a sectional title context. 

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied upon as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)