Do you have a house in Victoria with suspicious damp staining on the wall or musty smell that even air freshener cannot get rid of? You might be facing a rising damp problem issue.

Do you know What is Rising Damp?

Rising damp occurs when moisture from the ground level travels up through the walls and/or floors of the property. Leaky masonry and soft mortar draw the water up from the ground using capillary action. The wall slowly develops damp in the same way a sponge soaks up water. The ground water often contains salts, when the wall starts to dry out in our hot summers, the salt crystallises and appears as white dust on the surface. More disturbingly, the creation of salt crystals degrades the structure of the walls. The existence of salt also attracts further moisture from the atmosphere which intensifies the problem.

Along with groundwater, salt (including chlorides, nitrates, and sulphates) also travels up to the wall. If the salt level is high in the water, the greater the absorption of moisture in the wall. The salt will remain in the wall when the water evaporates and appear as a white, fluffy dust. Therefore, even if there has been an attempt to battle rising dampness with damp proofing, these salts can cause the wall to remain damp.

What Are The Signs of Rising Damp?

It can be tricky to differentiate rising damp from other problems such as faulty plumbing, high ground levels, condensation, or penetrating damp. It is, hence, critical to hire a professional building inspector to perform a full building inspection on the property. The following are some common signs of rising damp that you can look out for:

• White fluffy powder/dust on the wall
• Dark, damp patches on walls
• Bubbly plaster, and blistering paint
• Musty smell from the wall
• Sign of Skirting boards decaying

What Does Rising Damp do to the Building?

It is desirable to deal with rising damp as soon as possible to avoid its damaging effects on the aesthetic and structural integrity of a building and the health of its occupants.