Random pictures of what the damp wallies call Rising Damp

This was diagnosed by a PCA member firm as rising damp!

This was diagnosed by a PCA member firm of rising damp wallies as rising damp on a wall in London. Richard went to have a look, and took up a bit of floor. The wall underneath was bone dry. The plaster was gypsum, and suffering a bit of condensation. PCA wanted to inject and replaster everything. Cheap solution – a bit more ventilation in the cupboard. Expensive solution – knock a bit off and replace with lime plaster. Cost – couple of hundred pounds. All now inexpensively sorted without recourse to any rising damp treatments and snake oil provided by property care association members with their phoney CSSW and CSRT ‘qualifications’ that have no academic credibility.

Georgian Townhouse with 'Serious Damp Problems'

This is a magnificent building with what were described as major damp issues. Using thermal imaging, we showed how water was penetrating, and directly related to faulty drainage from the roof. So simple – there was no ‘rising damp’ as claimed, and the problem was actually fixed in a matter of half an hour, by repairing a broken cast iron downpipe.

Thermal image of penetrating damp wrongly diagnosed as 'rising damp' in the corner of a building. Caused by a drainpipe discharging against the wall, soaking it for years.

Wall diagnosed with 'rising damp' was not - penetrating damp from leaky rainwater pipe — Wall diagnosed with 'rising damp' was not – penetrating damp from leaky rainwater pipe – exposed with thermal imaging camera in the previous photo. Plaster was taken off, the wall dried out, problem solved.

Leaky rainwater pipe wrongly diagnosed as rising damp. Exposed with thermal imaging – simply fixed.

Condensation related to plaster dabs in old farmhouse

This was a survey we did recently in which the owners had ‘renovated’ the building – using plaster dabbed plasterboard on single brick walls. These were cold, and the dabs were heat sinks – cold bridging, so that the wall developed ‘rising damp’ symptoms on all the walls that were dabbed. The solution was very simple – removal of all the dabbed plasterboard, and thermally efficient dry lining, using steel framing, insulated with sheepwool.

Thermal image of dot and dabbed plasterboard causing thermal bridging – every spot is damp from condensation forming on a cold external wall. As always, this was 'diagnosed' as 'rising damp'!

Mould on wall from condensation - gypsum plasterboard dot and dabbed — Mould on wall from condensation – gypsum plasterboard dot and dabbed causing thermal bridging and cold. Thermal imaging reveals how bad this practise is. NEVER do it!