Damp

Rising Damp in Banstead

Name: Damp Specialist Banstead
Address: SBC House, Restmor Way, Wallington, SM6 7AH, GB
Telephone: 020 8239 3335

Genuine rising damp is less common than people think — we confirm it before treating it, then fix it properly.

Rising damp occurs when groundwater is drawn upward through the capillaries of masonry because there is no effective barrier stopping it. It affects ground-floor walls only, rarely rises beyond about a metre, and almost always leaves a band of hygroscopic salts in the plaster where the moisture has evaporated. Those salts continue to attract atmospheric moisture long after the wall itself has dried, which is why replacing plaster is as important as installing a new damp proof course.

Many Banstead and Surrey properties diagnosed with rising damp actually have a bridged damp proof course caused by a raised patio, render carried below DPC level, or debris in the cavity. These are far cheaper to correct. We look for those causes first and only recommend a chemical DPC where the evidence — deep-wall moisture profiles and salt analysis — genuinely supports it.

Common signs

✓ A defined tide mark up to around one metre above floor level
✓ White fluffy salt deposits on plaster or brickwork
✓ Damp that is worse in winter but never fully disappears
✓ Skirting boards and floor timbers decaying at their base
✓ Wallpaper lifting from the bottom upwards

Likely causes

• No damp proof course in older solid-wall properties
• A slate or bitumen DPC that has cracked or been breached
• External ground, paving or driveway raised above the DPC line
• Render, tiling or plaster bridging the DPC internally or externally
• Cavity wall debris forming a moisture bridge

Our method

How we diagnose and resolve the problem

Confirm the diagnosis

Deep-wall drilled samples and salt analysis distinguish rising damp from penetrating damp, condensation or a plumbing leak.

Remove the cause

Where a bridge exists we lower ground levels, cut back render or clear the cavity — sometimes this alone resolves the problem.

Install a new damp proof course

A silicone cream DPC is injected at mortar bed level to a controlled depth and spacing, forming a continuous water-repellent band.

Replaster and reinstate

Contaminated plaster is removed and replaced with a salt-inhibiting renovating system, then skirtings are refitted ready for decoration.

Every chemical DPC we install is backed by a written guarantee, and we always tell you when a cheaper drainage or ground-level fix will do the job instead.

Questions

Rising Damp FAQs

How high does rising damp usually go?

Typically 600mm to 1200mm. Damp appearing higher than that is almost always penetrating damp, condensation or a leak.

Can I just paint over it?

No. Waterproof paints and sealers trap moisture and salts, which usually pushes the problem higher up the wall or into the adjoining room.

How long before I can redecorate?

Renovating plaster generally needs four to six weeks to dry before decorating, and we recommend a breathable emulsion for the first coat.

Related help

You may also need

Damp Surveys

An independent, surveyor-led inspection that identifies the true cause of damp before any work is quoted.

Penetrating Damp

Water travelling horizontally into the building through a defect in the external envelope.

Plaster Repairs

Replacing plaster that damp has destroyed, using systems designed to resist salts and residual moisture.

Need help with rising damp?

Book an independent survey and get a written answer — including if no damp proofing is needed.

Call 020 8239 3335 Book a survey