Rising salt damp

[suzer]

Has anyone had any experience with this in their homes? I think we may have some in the basement. I'd be grateful for suggestions on next steps.

[Guest Fly Away]

I am wondering if your basement is below the level of the soil - then it might mean it hasn't been tanked properly.

[suzer]

I am wondering if your basement is below the level of the soil - then it might mean it hasn't been tanked properly.

 

Yes, partially, but the house is 35+ years old and this is a new problem.

[Rachiegarlo]

It may be that there was not a salt damp coursing put in when it was built. Salt damp is a big problem here and it may have shown up because it was always there but it was replastered for sale or there is a lot of moisture in the surrounding soil when maybe it was drier before(eg leaking pipes).

There are two ways...the first is cosmetic , chip out the affected area and replaster, usually done on internal walls, or secondly get a dampcourse put in which will hit your purse but protect your house.

[suzer]

It may be that there was not a salt damp coursing put in when it was built. Salt damp is a big problem here and it may have shown up because it was always there but it was replastered for sale or there is a lot of moisture in the surrounding soil when maybe it was drier before(eg leaking pipes).

There are two ways...the first is cosmetic , chip out the affected area and replaster, usually done on internal walls, or secondly get a dampcourse put in which will hit your purse but protect your house.

 

Have you done this? It is double brick and no plaster work aside from one area (paint is blistering there but I notice it on the concrete floors as well.

 

I'm wondering if it is pipes or the fact that we have needed to/are in the process of redoing a nearby outdoor porch which had drainage issues (parts of this porch are over and/or next to this area of the house)...or something else!

[Rachiegarlo]

The walls would have to have a layer of bricks removed and the damp course strip put in, before the bricks replaced. This is why it is costly. The concrete floor would probably have to be taken up and the lining put down befoe relaying the concrete. I think you should get someone in to check it all out, as you may have leaking pipes. The really hot summer may have cracked or moved the pipes if they are the old type.

 

No have never done the damp coursing but have seen it done plenty of times on other houses.

[suzer]

The walls would have to have a layer of bricks removed and the damp course strip put in, before the bricks replaced. This is why it is costly. The concrete floor would probably have to be taken up and the lining put down befoe relaying the concrete. I think you should get someone in to check it all out, as you may have leaking pipes. The really hot summer may have cracked or moved the pipes if they are the old type.

 

No have never done the damp coursing but have seen it done plenty of times on other houses.

 

I'm wondering how urgent a job this would be, as we have about 3 other projects in hand at the moment:/

[Guest Fly Away]

A damp proof course only works ABOVE the soil. In effect it stops moisture absorbed from the soil travelling upwards by presenting either a chemical or a physical barrier. I suspect that you need to rule out a leak and then get a specialist damp company to have a look. It sounds like the tanking installed 35 years ago has failed. It's either that or there was no tanking and it gets damp every time it's wet and you haven't been in the house long???? Basements are notoriously hard to prevent damp in and after consulting an expert you may feel that so long as there is no risk of long term damage, you can live with seasonal damp??

[suzer]

Husband has lived in the house about 13 years but I think this is a new problem, or a very very slow rising damp. I've only been in the house about 2 years but it has been present most of that time, and I've only seen it get slightly worse, I think. Thanks very much to both of you for your advice. We will get a few people out to check it and see where we go from there. We will have a plumber soon for something else (getting a new hot water heater and some plumbing done in one bathroom) so will ask him about this as well. There have been some issues with pipes leaking in at least one bathroom, so that is always a possibility. Waterproofing etc wasn't what it is today, 35 years ago!

[suzer]

By the way if anyone has suggestions on companies to use, would be helpful. I have looked up a few, but always keen to go on recommendations.