In short, rising damp in buildings occurs when water from the ground rises up through the bricks and mortar of a building by capillary action. Older properties tend to have an accumulation of surfaces salts due to years of evaporation. H igh external ground levels causing rising damp on the window wall. As a result, from around the early 1900s more and more buildings have been built with dpcs, usually using bituminous felt, lead or slate.
Much of the information provided will be familiar to those who have read richard webbers excellent tribute book, rising damp a celebration. Diagnosing damp diagnosing damp provides you with the knowledge and tools to understand the causes of dampness in buildings and is packed full of features, diagrams and photographs to aid correct diagnosis. Damp and timber surveyor and proved that the cause of the electrical moisture meter readings were not as a result of rising damp as had been suggested by the contractor by using a calcium carbide meter which involves taking drilled samples. Book vii there are also remnants of roman damp proof courses in various places as shown below. At this point its worth addressing the debate around whether rising damp exists or not. Apart from setting the record straight for my part in this article it is important that the issue of rising damp is understood.
It happened again last month, with the architects journal proclaiming rising damp is a myth. Damp proof course myth damp proof course do i really need one rising damp myth rising damp damp proof course injection as you can see above, and from the photographs on the rest of this page, a physical damp proof course does not break down and you will not need a new damp proof course injecting into your home. After many years of prevarication, i finally took the plunge and read the rising damp myth. According to some, rising damp is an invention of the chemical industry that came about in the 1960s, and the surveyors who promote the idea of rising damp and the need for damp proofing courses are, in fact, just salesmen. Jul 05, 2015 the view that rising damp is a myth may cause building surveyors to form a view that it is not worth learning how to properly survey for rising damp. In the book in a nutshell he claimed that the rising damp myth is that rising damp doesnt exist it. Rising damp is a potentially serious property problem that can affect ground floor walls in buildings of any age. Rising damp occurs in buildings when water from the ground rises up through the bricks and mortar of a building by capillary action, in the same way that a sponge will soak up water from the floor.
Rising damp is a mythyou may think so if you read the book. In 1997 the housing disrepair team at lewisham council in south london were so convinced that rising damp was a myth that they offered a reward of. His best selling book, the rising damp myth, is available and can be purchased via his website, which apart from being a total hoot, is full of really good. This scepticism reached its apogee in 2008 when the rising damp myth, a book written by qualified bricklayer jeff howell, was published. Rising damp is a myth, says former rics chief news. Manager mike parrett said the point of the reward is to convince our tenants that rising damp is a myth. A regular readers of this column, and of my book, the rising damp myth, will know that the idea of dampness bypassing a dpc by bridging. The water rises through the pores capillaries in the masonry by a process loosely termed capillarity.
Rising damp explains most problems no, mostly it is a myth because most dampness problems in buildings are not caused by natural rising dampness. The author has researched the subject of rising damp extensively, very good read which answered a lot of my suspicions, it also points you in the direction of building research and british standards which can be quoted back to mortgage companies to disprove the possibility of rising damp and save one self a lot of money. How to fixsolve rising damp problems in a solid wall no cavity. The real problem is dodgy diagnosis and that is what i am dedicated to fixing. The rising damp myththe rising damp myth explains how chemical injection damp proofing is specified in around 5,000 uk properties every week by the widespread misuse of electrical moisture meters.
Itv originally broadcast the programme from 2 september 1974 until 9 may 1978. Treating rising damp is a complicated process and can be very costly. Indeed, there has even been a book written, the rising damp myth in which the author claims exactly that rising damp is a myth by definition a myth is 1. Every so often the surveying profession is hit with theres no such thing as rising damp headlines. Rising damp myth the author of this blog is a science graduate and knowledge produced within this blog has academic support. Stephen boniface, former chairman of the construction arm of the royal institution of chartered surveyors rics, has told the institutes 40,000 members that true rising damp is a myth and chemically injected dampproof courses dpc are a complete waste of money. Because most dampness problems in buildings are not caused by natural rising dampness.
Buy the rising damp myth by jeff howell from waterstones today. This book on rising damp is well known in surveying circles, even though most surveyors have never read it. So instead of being drowned out by howls of derision from the those who really know about these things, they gain publicity and even a bit of notoriety too. The rising damp myth has become so powerful, and so deeply ingrained in the psyche of the construction professions, that to question it is to invite denial and even ridicule. But before we can analyse the veracity of the claims made in this book, we must first look at what rising damp actually is. Some people claim that rising damp doesnt exist, there has even been a book published called the myth of rising damp. The complete scripts by eric chappell 2 ratings, 4. He confirms in his book that a damp meter is not be be used to confirm that rising damp is present and he. Rising damp is a mythyou may think so if you read the. As a result of my research following the visit of a. Anyone who has bothered to read jeff howells book the rising damp myth will know that the damp test pillars referred to were built using the special mortar developed at the bre in order to artificially create rising damp. Diagnosing damp diagnosing damp provides you with the knowledge and tools to understand the causes of dampness in buildings and is packed full of features, diagrams and photographs to. Rising damp is a tricky form of dampness to tackle by yourself. Jeff and i once produced a training video discussing the issue.
In the book the rising damp myth it is reported that one rics surveyors notes state, inter alia, the following. Indeed, there has even been a book written, the rising damp myth in which the author claims exactly that rising damp is a myth. Book description a detailed account of the history of the remedial damp proofing industry, and of the misuse of electrical moisture meters to missell chemical damp proofing. This is one of the most common questions we are asked at wise property care. A large part of this guide is given over to correctly identifying rising damp in your home, telling it apart from much more common damp issues. In response, the rics has put the term rising damp in inverted. You would derive great benefit by searching rising damp myth and look at publications by professionals such as pete ward of heritage house and jeff howell the author of the award winning book rising damp myth, these are suitably qualified graduates and provide great advice on how to avoid the csrt surveyor and his chemical sales. Rising damp can cause serious structural damage to buildings. The wall to the left has had the earth removed to a lower level. The sunday telegraph book of house and home building, maintenance and renovation. From the publisher this book is indispensable reading for housesellers, buyers, surveyors, property professionals and construction students.
I found this book following researching rising damp in solid wall housing, and it confirmed my research findings. If left untreated, rising damp can create a damp and unpleasant environment in the home, with damp patches spreading upwards from the base of the walls, spoiling skirting boards, paint, wallpaper and masonry. In 2010, jeff howell, a bricklayer by trade with 15 years experience in the construction industry who then moved into university lecturing on construction technology, published a book titled exactly that. Some symptoms which can help you identify rising damp. Stephen boniface, former chair of the rics building surveying faculty, has also. Jeff howell is the author of books such as the rising damp myth and. Rising damp was first mentioned by the royal institute of british architects in 1862. We also bust some myths around rising damp and its treatment.
Nov 28, 2016 rising damp is rising damp just a myth. The rising damp myth rics surveyor and builder jeff howell recently wrote that a damp meter can detect other atmospheric conditions which may not be relevant and therefore you must book a full damp survey before you pay out lots of money for new damp proofing. To add to this a friend of mine in the professional world is jeff howell who once wrote a book called the rising damp myth. Stephen boniface, former chairman of the construction arm of the royal institution of chartered surveyors rics, has told the institutes 40,000 members that true rising damp is a myth and chemically injected damp proof courses dpc are a complete waste of money. Of course, this proves beyond doubt that rising damp is a myth and that the damp was lifting up the wall by capillary action which was initially stopped by the dpc, which was never needed anyway surly some mistake. Countering the rising damp myth is difficult, because the parties involved clients, mortgage lenders, chartered surveyors, and damp proofers form a kind of circle of. What is rising damp learn all about the damp issue. So, have we been victims of an elaborate con for all these years with this rising damp myth. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film. Apr 01, 2008 i found this book following researching rising damp in solid wall housing, and it confirmed my research findings. In particular jeff howells book, the rising damp myth.
In 2008, howell published a book titled the rising damp myth 2008. In this book, jeff howell attacks the assumptions that have given rise to a multimillionpound industry. One way of looking at the rising damp myth is to say that the real myth is that rising damp is a myth in the first place. Cookies are very small text files that are stored on your computer when you visit some websites. This mortar was basically chalk and brick dust unlike any mortar.
Nevertheless, there is much fresh material in this book, particularly regarding the specifics of individual episodes. You will find many examples of properties that have had rising damp accurately diagnosed and effectively treated by something like an injectable damp proof course. Rising damp, condensation and damp through your walls. This how to guide takes you through identifying rising damp, the causes and how to effectively deal with it. Anyone who has bothered to read jeff howells book the rising damp myth will know that the damp test. The damp stopped coming and the rising damp like symptoms disappeared too. Howell asks, reasonably, why this is the case when in the netherlands where houses are often built over wetland and where brick built houses give a fair comparison with the uk rising damp or damp of any kind is not an issue. Over the last few years there has been a considerable amount of debate concerning the existence of rising damp. You will need to seek professional advice before dealing with it. Hi bap, firstly, jeff howell surveyor wrote a book called the rising damp myth.
Any fictitious story, or unscientific theory, belief, etc, and 2. Jan 27, 2016 how to fixsolve rising damp problems in a solid wall no cavity. The view that rising damp is a myth may cause building surveyors to form a view that it is not worth learning how to properly survey for rising damp. Rising damp is a british sitcom produced by yorkshire television for itv. Has anybody had a read of the book on the myth of rising damp. In the book in a nutshell he claimed that the rising damp myth is that rising damp doesnt exist its just something that has been carefully manufactured by various stakeholders in the property and damp proofing industry. As you will see in the below pictures that is what rising damp looks like. This mortar was basically chalk and brick dust unlike any mortar used in real brick walls. Fur unsere preisgunstigen gebrauchten bucher berechnen wir keine versandgebuhren. The surveyor, who says there is extensive dampness in all the walls is actually just a salesmen for chemical damp proofing products. Rising damp is a myth, says former rics chief news architects.
Jeff howell is an author of many books and a chartered building surveyor, chartered builder and exbricklayer who carried our research whilst lecturing at south bank university in relation to rising damp and simply couldnt get the damp. I show how to lower a path, install a french drain, install a channel. Countering the rising damp myth is difficult, because the parties involved clients, mortgage lenders, chartered surveyors, and dampproofers form a kind of circle of dependency, each of them unable or unwilling to break the chain. Apr 16, 2019 to add to this a friend of mine in the professional world is jeff howell who once wrote a book called the rising damp myth. The rising damp myth in this post, chartered surveyor stephen boniface gives his advice on rising damp and how it is often misdiagnosed. Indeed, there has even been a book written on the subject, the rising damp myth in which the author claims exactly that rising damp is a myth. This is why you should always have a specialist rising damp survey.
Misleading statement 3 usually no other cause is considered. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Heritage house rising damp is a myth, says former rics chief. Apart from setting the record straight for my part in this article it is important that the issue of rising damp. Jeff howell went on to write his book the rising damp myth. The rising damp myth the original plasterers forum the. If you need help on any type of property problem please feel free to give us a call. From 1877 damp proof courses became mandatory in the uk.
The surveyor, who says there is extensive dampness in all the walls is actually just a salesmen for chemical dampproofing products. Many properties are affected by dampness at some time during their. Thats why the best advice is to seek advice from an independent damp surveyor. Oct 23, 2011 yet another nail in the coffin of the rising damp myth millions are spent every year in the uk curing a problem that does not exist. Tell your buyers that they need an independent dampness survey carried out to the standards described in building research establishment digest 245, and under no circumstances allow. Jan 08, 2015 she was sure it was condensation, i confirmed rising damp along with a nice salt band of chloride, she said that the book was a waste of money then i still cant believe some idiots actually think it doesnt happen. The rising damp myth this book is indispensable reading for housesellers, buyers, surveyors, property professionals and construction students. It was adapted for television by eric chappell from his 1971 stage play the banana box retained as the working title early in the series. It describes how rising damp has been promoted as a marketing device by the chemical damp proofing industry, and explains the simple steps that every homeowner can take to make sure they are not. Has your house been diagnosed with rising damp with a damp. Many years ago i was asked to present a talk on dampness and i discovered that my talk was to be the first one after lunch. Secondly, the way to approach it is to consider all the clues as to what may be causing damp excess moisture issues. Rising damp is a mythyou may think so if you read the book, now.
The supposition that rising damp is a common problem has led to a glut of poorly trained industry surveyors and widespread misdiagnosis due to over reliance on hand held electrical moisture meters. We use cookies to maximise your experience and make our website easier for you to use. Some symptoms which can help you identify rising damp are. It includes investigations into other types of damp proofing and explains how these methods too are missold. She was sure it was condensation, i confirmed rising damp along with a nice salt band of chloride, she said that the book was a waste of money then i still cant believe some idiots actually think it doesnt happen. As a result of my research following the visit of a specialist i have taken some very simple steps and resolved by recent damp problem in a 1933 semi. Peter ward is the voice behind the rising damp doesnt exist idea. Well, it is true to say that there are unscrupulous companies that will diagnose rising damp and recommend expensive treatments as a result.
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