PLASTERING

Specialist plastering makes all the difference to the on going success of your damp proofing treatment. Here’s why:

Rising Damp Deposits Moisture-Attracting Salts

Even after structural dampness has been dried out, it’s common to find high concentrations of moisture-attracting salts in brickwork, masonry and areas of apparently undamaged plaster. These salts (most commonly sodium chloride, calcium chloride and potassium carbonate) are normally present in ground water, and are deposited as rising damp is drawn up the walls by wicking. After the water dries out the salts are left behind, and will continue to attract moisture from any nearby source.

Since the salts can’t be eliminated, their moisture-attracting effect has to be mitigated by:

1.     Preventing them reaching the new outer surface of the wall

2.     Stopping any remaining moisture causing damage to the newly applied plaster

This is where specialist plastering proves its value.

It’s Difficult to Identify Salt-Affected Plaster

The removal of any plaster already containing moisture-attracting salts is the first step towards a successful damp proofing treatment. Stockport Damp Proofing works with a Certified Surveyor in Remedial Treatments (CSRT) to identify which areas of plaster are affected in this way. You may wish to preserve some of the apparently intact plasterwork in damp-affected rooms, but this can be problematic as it is difficult to determine which areas of plaster contain salts.

One way of finding out which sections of apparently intact plaster has been damaged is to wait until the wall has dried out completely before re-examining it. But this process can take several months and few householders are prepared to live with extensive disruption for so long. Stockport Damp Proofing recommends that the apparently undamaged plasterwork be removed at the same time as the more obviously affected areas.

You Need a Waterproof Plastering System

After curative work has been completed, the damaged plaster is replaced with our specially blended salt-retarding renders, chosen especially to complement your damp proof course. This waterproof plastering also has the advantage of protecting your décor should your problem with rising damp recur. That’s why we offer specialist plastering as an add-on to our diagnosis and treatment service.