Damp proofing
Encyclopedia
Damp proofing in construction
is a type of waterproofing
applied to building foundation walls to prevent moisture from passing through the walls into interior spaces.
A damp-proof course (often abbreviated to DPC) is a horizontal barrier in a wall designed to resist moisture rising through the structure by capillary action
- a phenomenon known as rising damp
. A damp-proof membrane (DPM) performs a similar function for a solid floor. Moisture resistance is not necessarily absolute: it is usually defined by a specific test method
, limits, and engineering tolerances.
In simpler words, DPC is used to stop dampness in buildings.
In theory, due to capillary movement of water, water rises from earth to the building. Passing through foundation it rises higher to reach walls. Reaching water to walls may damage them by creating cracks, breaking cement-paint bonds and creating dark-spots on wall etc. So, to avoid water from reaching to walls, we lay DPC layer at plinth level (the joint level of walls and foundations).
DPC layer is usually laid below all the walls unaffected from the issue that the respective wall is a load bearing wall or a partition wall. Usually, DPC membrane is 4" to 9" wide.
In practise, Rising Damp almost never occurs. Nearly every occurrence of so called 'Rising Damp' can be properly diagnosed as related to condensation, penetrating damp, or the improper use of impermeable materials. For example, the widespread use of impervious gypsum plasters in solid wall, lime mortar constructed houses traps condensation and creates damp problems which are incorrectly interpreted by chemical salesmen and 'damp surveyors' as Rising Damp. Similarly, cement render applied to the outside of walls built in this way will create the same symptoms. It is vital to correctly diagnose causes of damp problems - many older, solid wall construction houses now have several useless injection damp proofing courses as a result of incorrect diagnosis.
in theory can occur for various reasons - the failure of an existing damp proof course, bridging due to the raising of external ground or internal floor levels, or in older buildings, the complete absence of a damp proof course.
Brick, stone and mortar are porous allowing damp from the ground to rise by capillary action
, carrying with it ground salts including chlorides and nitrates.
These salts from the ground can absorb moisture from the atmosphere
leading to wall
dampness in conditions of high relative humidity. Also they can ruin decorations and break down internal plaster.
in older days, stone-slab was mostly used as DPC material.
Building standards in many countries require most new buildings to incorporate a DPC/DPM at the time of construction. This may consist of a thin strip of plastic, a course of engineering brick
or slate
, or a layer of bitumen.
A DPM is usually a thick polythene sheet laid under the floor slab, to allow the slab to dry out and keep out groundwater. It is often laid on a bed of sand, to prevent the sharp edges of the hardcore damaging it.
To create a continuous barrier, pieces of DPC or DPM are welded together. In addition, the DPC is welded to the DPM around the outside edges of the ground floor, completely sealing the inside of the building from the damp ground under it.
In a cavity wall, there is usually a DPC in both the outer and inner wall. In the outer wall it is normally 150-200mm above ground level (the height of 2-3 brick courses). This allows rain to form puddles and splash up off the ground, without saturating the wall above DPC level. The wall below the DPC may become saturated in rainy weather. The DPC in the inner wall is usually below floor level, (under a suspended timber floor structure), or, with a solid concrete floor, it is usually found immediately above the floor slab so that it can be linked to the DPM under the floor slab. This enables installation of skirting boards above floor level without fear of puncturing it. Alternatively, instead of fitting separate inner and outer DPCs, it is common in commercial housebuilding to use a one-piece length of rigid plastic, (albeit an angled section), which fits neatly across the cavity and slots into both walls (a cavity tray). This method requires the need for weep vents to enable rainwater ingress to drain from the cavities otherwise rising dampness could occur from above the DPC.
. The DPM may be non-existent, leading to damp problems, mold health issues or generally a poor indoor air quality
, or it may rely on an impermeable floor finish such as ceramic tiles to keep most of the damp out.
Where a DPC is absent or inadequate, there are various means of retrofitting one. A common method in masonry
walls is to drill holes into the wall at regular intervals and inject a penetrating liquid (e.g. silicone
) into the holes. The chemical is absorbed into the masonry, where it cures to form a waterproof barrier. More recently, damp-proofing creams have been introduced which are faster to install and do not require specialist pumping equipment. Whether in liquid or cream form, the effectiveness of chemical damp-proofing products depends on a number of factors including product strength, the types of active ingredients in the formulation, the delivery system (e.g. solvents and surfactants), and the suitability of the system for the substrate that it is being injected into. Some forms of the chemical are odour-free; others have a strong odour.
Damp proofing remedies include:
fibres. This was more commonly found in the older, grey sealants as well as flexible tar boards.
Other possibly hazardous materials include the use of lead sheets as a DPC material.
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
is a type of waterproofing
Waterproofing
Waterproof or water-resistant describes objects relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environments or under water to specified depths...
applied to building foundation walls to prevent moisture from passing through the walls into interior spaces.
A damp-proof course (often abbreviated to DPC) is a horizontal barrier in a wall designed to resist moisture rising through the structure by capillary action
Capillary action
Capillary action, or capilarity, is the ability of a liquid to flow against gravity where liquid spontanously rise in a narrow space such as between the hair of a paint-brush, in a thin tube, or in porous material such as paper or in some non-porous material such as liquified carbon fiber, or in a...
- a phenomenon known as rising damp
Rising damp (structural)
Structural dampness refers to the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building, either the result of intrusion from outside or condensation from within the structure....
. A damp-proof membrane (DPM) performs a similar function for a solid floor. Moisture resistance is not necessarily absolute: it is usually defined by a specific test method
Test method
A test method is a definitive procedure that produces a test result.A test can be considered as technical operation that consists of determination of one or more characteristics of a given product, process or service according to a specified procedure. Often a test is part of an experiment.The test...
, limits, and engineering tolerances.
In simpler words, DPC is used to stop dampness in buildings.
In theory, due to capillary movement of water, water rises from earth to the building. Passing through foundation it rises higher to reach walls. Reaching water to walls may damage them by creating cracks, breaking cement-paint bonds and creating dark-spots on wall etc. So, to avoid water from reaching to walls, we lay DPC layer at plinth level (the joint level of walls and foundations).
DPC layer is usually laid below all the walls unaffected from the issue that the respective wall is a load bearing wall or a partition wall. Usually, DPC membrane is 4" to 9" wide.
In practise, Rising Damp almost never occurs. Nearly every occurrence of so called 'Rising Damp' can be properly diagnosed as related to condensation, penetrating damp, or the improper use of impermeable materials. For example, the widespread use of impervious gypsum plasters in solid wall, lime mortar constructed houses traps condensation and creates damp problems which are incorrectly interpreted by chemical salesmen and 'damp surveyors' as Rising Damp. Similarly, cement render applied to the outside of walls built in this way will create the same symptoms. It is vital to correctly diagnose causes of damp problems - many older, solid wall construction houses now have several useless injection damp proofing courses as a result of incorrect diagnosis.
Background
Rising dampRising damp (structural)
Structural dampness refers to the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building, either the result of intrusion from outside or condensation from within the structure....
in theory can occur for various reasons - the failure of an existing damp proof course, bridging due to the raising of external ground or internal floor levels, or in older buildings, the complete absence of a damp proof course.
Brick, stone and mortar are porous allowing damp from the ground to rise by capillary action
Capillary action
Capillary action, or capilarity, is the ability of a liquid to flow against gravity where liquid spontanously rise in a narrow space such as between the hair of a paint-brush, in a thin tube, or in porous material such as paper or in some non-porous material such as liquified carbon fiber, or in a...
, carrying with it ground salts including chlorides and nitrates.
These salts from the ground can absorb moisture from the atmosphere
Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
leading to wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
dampness in conditions of high relative humidity. Also they can ruin decorations and break down internal plaster.
in older days, stone-slab was mostly used as DPC material.
Building standards in many countries require most new buildings to incorporate a DPC/DPM at the time of construction. This may consist of a thin strip of plastic, a course of engineering brick
Engineering brick
Engineering bricks are a type of brick used where strength, low water porosity or acid resistance are needed.Clay Engineering bricks are defined in British Standard BS 6100 ‘Glossary of building and civil engineering terms’ as ‘brick sized fired clay units having a dense and strong semi vitreous...
or slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
, or a layer of bitumen.
Materials
Materials widely used for damp proofing include:- Flexible materials like hot bitumen, plastic sheets, bituminous felts, sheets of lead, copper, etc.
- Semi-rigid materials like mastic asphalt
- Rigid materials like impervious bricks, stones, slates, cement mortar or cement concrete painted with bitumen, etc.
- Stones
- Mortar with waterproofing compounds
- Coarse sand layers under floors
- Continuous plastic sheets under floors
Construction
A DPC is usually a thick plastic strip bedded into the mortar between two courses of bricks or blocks. It can often be seen as a thin plastic line in the mortar near ground level.A DPM is usually a thick polythene sheet laid under the floor slab, to allow the slab to dry out and keep out groundwater. It is often laid on a bed of sand, to prevent the sharp edges of the hardcore damaging it.
To create a continuous barrier, pieces of DPC or DPM are welded together. In addition, the DPC is welded to the DPM around the outside edges of the ground floor, completely sealing the inside of the building from the damp ground under it.
In a cavity wall, there is usually a DPC in both the outer and inner wall. In the outer wall it is normally 150-200mm above ground level (the height of 2-3 brick courses). This allows rain to form puddles and splash up off the ground, without saturating the wall above DPC level. The wall below the DPC may become saturated in rainy weather. The DPC in the inner wall is usually below floor level, (under a suspended timber floor structure), or, with a solid concrete floor, it is usually found immediately above the floor slab so that it can be linked to the DPM under the floor slab. This enables installation of skirting boards above floor level without fear of puncturing it. Alternatively, instead of fitting separate inner and outer DPCs, it is common in commercial housebuilding to use a one-piece length of rigid plastic, (albeit an angled section), which fits neatly across the cavity and slots into both walls (a cavity tray). This method requires the need for weep vents to enable rainwater ingress to drain from the cavities otherwise rising dampness could occur from above the DPC.
Remedial DPC
In old buildings there may be a DPC made from leadLead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
. The DPM may be non-existent, leading to damp problems, mold health issues or generally a poor indoor air quality
Indoor air quality
Indoor air quality is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants....
, or it may rely on an impermeable floor finish such as ceramic tiles to keep most of the damp out.
Where a DPC is absent or inadequate, there are various means of retrofitting one. A common method in masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
walls is to drill holes into the wall at regular intervals and inject a penetrating liquid (e.g. silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
) into the holes. The chemical is absorbed into the masonry, where it cures to form a waterproof barrier. More recently, damp-proofing creams have been introduced which are faster to install and do not require specialist pumping equipment. Whether in liquid or cream form, the effectiveness of chemical damp-proofing products depends on a number of factors including product strength, the types of active ingredients in the formulation, the delivery system (e.g. solvents and surfactants), and the suitability of the system for the substrate that it is being injected into. Some forms of the chemical are odour-free; others have a strong odour.
Damp proofing remedies include:
- Silane diffusion: Utilising a concentrated thixotropic silane / silicone ‘cream’
- Siliconate transfusion: A gravity fed system with no wastage via hidden voids
- Siliconate injection: Recommended occasionally for single brick walls
Health and safety
Some DPC materials may contain asbestosAsbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
fibres. This was more commonly found in the older, grey sealants as well as flexible tar boards.
Other possibly hazardous materials include the use of lead sheets as a DPC material.