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Expert Advice
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| Welcome to Our House online's Expert Advice. We have brought together a number of independent experts* in a variety of fields, who are available to answer your individual queries on a wide range of home improvement topics. Read through previously asked questions, or submit your own. *Please note that these experts are completely independent of the Our House television show, and any segments that have been shown on the TV programme. If you are looking for information on a TV segment, search our archives. |
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Rising damp & drainage (Submitted on 4/05/2001)
Question :
What can I do about rising damp? And water laying under house and not draining.
Answer :
Without knowing more about your particular circumstances it is difficult to provide a clear answer that will provide you with some confidence. For instance the following answers require to be clarified:- - What is the construction type of your house (bricks, cavity, timber floors etc..?) - Can you see under the house (ie is it stumped?) - What are the ground conditions (sand, clay, rock sloping etc..) - When does the damp appear most? - How high up the wall is it rising?
However, it does appear that the water under the house and the rising damp are related, and removal of the first would certainly help you to find a guaranteed solution to the second. Until you remove this water you will always be fighting a difficult problem. On the assumption that your ground water table is low and that this water is flowing to below your house from elsewhere you will need to install subsurface irrigation to deflect the ground water away from your building. This is not a high cost exercise and can be done with relatively small trenches back filled with blue metal and 'ag' drains. Once you have got rid of the water below you may find that the house becomes clear of rising damp. If the problem persists you will need to install damp proof membranes. The method of which will depend upon the construction type of your house.
Best of luck |
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