50 Years Ago When Harold Wilson Was In...
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Damp course...
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How do I know if we have one?
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If you have some exposed brickwork near ground level a tell-tale clue is that about two courses above ground level the mortar thickness is distinctly thicker. The DPC material is sometimes protruding a little from the mortar.
If the outside walls are rendered with something like cement or pebble-dash then a little more investigation is needed. Get a builder to pop round and say you want a quote to install a DPC, as you're not sure what condition yours is in or indeed not sure you even have one. He'll know where to look exactly.
If the outside walls are rendered with something like cement or pebble-dash then a little more investigation is needed. Get a builder to pop round and say you want a quote to install a DPC, as you're not sure what condition yours is in or indeed not sure you even have one. He'll know where to look exactly.
Little plastic things weren't in use in the 1920's!
Have a look about two courses up from ground level, you may be able to see a thin, black asphalt-type material just protruding along the top of the bricks.
If you can't see that, are your bricks a deep red colour with a smooth face? If so, they may well be engineering bricks which, because of their density, were used to prevent rising damp prior to the introduction of the asphalt DPC.
You say it's a plain brick wall at the back, do you mean the rest of the house is rendered? If so, are you talking about an extension at the back which may have been built years later incorporating a DPC? In any case, render shouldn't extend right down to ground level because this can allow rising damp to get past a DPC.
Having said all of this, even if you do have a DPC it may well have failed due to the age of the house, in which case you would probably have noticed tell-tale signs such as a damp, foisty smell, peeling wallpaper and a general feeling of dampness where the paper has peeled downstairs, up to a height of about 600mm.
You can buy a dampmeter for around �10 or call out a reputable company to check for you. Hope this helps.
Have a look about two courses up from ground level, you may be able to see a thin, black asphalt-type material just protruding along the top of the bricks.
If you can't see that, are your bricks a deep red colour with a smooth face? If so, they may well be engineering bricks which, because of their density, were used to prevent rising damp prior to the introduction of the asphalt DPC.
You say it's a plain brick wall at the back, do you mean the rest of the house is rendered? If so, are you talking about an extension at the back which may have been built years later incorporating a DPC? In any case, render shouldn't extend right down to ground level because this can allow rising damp to get past a DPC.
Having said all of this, even if you do have a DPC it may well have failed due to the age of the house, in which case you would probably have noticed tell-tale signs such as a damp, foisty smell, peeling wallpaper and a general feeling of dampness where the paper has peeled downstairs, up to a height of about 600mm.
You can buy a dampmeter for around �10 or call out a reputable company to check for you. Hope this helps.
Thank you Gazza.
The house is rendered at the front but not at the back. There is a dark line about 2/3 bricks up which he says is the damp course.
The back room of the house smells musky and yes, the paper is peeling. It obviously needs updating.
The reason I mentioned the little plastic things is because that's what my Victorian house had. So I presume now that mine was done much more recently.
I will look into it....cheers for your help.
The house is rendered at the front but not at the back. There is a dark line about 2/3 bricks up which he says is the damp course.
The back room of the house smells musky and yes, the paper is peeling. It obviously needs updating.
The reason I mentioned the little plastic things is because that's what my Victorian house had. So I presume now that mine was done much more recently.
I will look into it....cheers for your help.
Aah, I've just realised what you mean by the little plastic things on your victorian house!
Nowadays, as you say, plastic weepholes are inserted above windows and other openings to ensure water exits the cavity, but the things you are on about are probably little round plugs which are used to fill the drill holes when a DPC is injected. I've got them on my house!
Nowadays, as you say, plastic weepholes are inserted above windows and other openings to ensure water exits the cavity, but the things you are on about are probably little round plugs which are used to fill the drill holes when a DPC is injected. I've got them on my house!
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