Rising Damp
Ground moisture drawn upward through the pores of masonry by capillary action, typically producing a horizontal tide mark and salt deposits.
On an actual building
It is a genuine but over-diagnosed condition — much damp blamed on rising damp is actually penetrating damp from a failed external wall or a leaking pipe. The tide line and salt band are the distinguishing signs.
What we most often have to correct
That every damp patch near a floor is rising damp. Correct diagnosis matters, because the treatments are entirely different.
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Capillary Action
The movement of liquid through narrow spaces against gravity, driven by surface tension.
- Plinth
The base of a wall where it meets the ground, and the level to which a building is raised above surrounding ground..
- Efflorescence
White crystalline deposits left on a surface when water moving through masonry or concrete evaporates and leaves dissolved salts behind..
More deterioration terms
Rising Damp — questions we get asked
What does rising damp mean in waterproofing?
Ground moisture drawn upward through the pores of masonry by capillary action, typically producing a horizontal tide mark and salt deposits.
Why does rising damp matter on a real project?
It is a genuine but over-diagnosed condition — much damp blamed on rising damp is actually penetrating damp from a failed external wall or a leaking pipe. The tide line and salt band are the distinguishing signs.
What do people commonly get wrong about rising damp?
That every damp patch near a floor is rising damp. Correct diagnosis matters, because the treatments are entirely different.
Have a building showing this?
If a term on this page describes something you are looking at, a site inspection will tell you how far it has gone and what it needs. It costs nothing.
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