There is a lot of interest in the subject of damp and the way it affects homes and commercial buildings. In a nutshell, it’s the movement of moisture from lower levels to higher levels of the building by capillary action.

How long does it take for rising damp to dry out?

In some cases it is possible to detect the presence of dampness via a few specific symptoms. For instance, the walls of a house can get loose and start to deteriorate, especially if they’ve been painted or wallpapered. Then there’s the smell of damp.

If you think that your property is a victim of raising damp, it’s best to contact a specialist surveyor, who will be able to carry out a proper assessment and provide a detailed report. They can also take samples from the wall to confirm or rule out a damp problem.

The next step in determining whether you have a damp issue is to look for any other structural issues that might be causing your problem. For example, are there any steps, ramps or adjoining structures (coal-bunkers, structural cupboards, stairs, fireplaces etc) that meet the exterior wall higher than its Damp Proof Course?

If you find any of these things, it’s likely that your problem is coming from the Damp Proof Course being over-ridden. This can be caused by an overly large cavity that allows moisture to travel up past the DPC, or by a build-up of debris in the wall’s cavity from when it was first built.