Heritage maintenance: Rising damp
Information sheet 2.1
This information sheet provides a brief introduction to rising damp, its control and treatment, for the owner or manager of buildings of heritage value.
Publisher: Heritage Office
Cost: Free
Language: English
ISBN: 1-87641-5754
File: PDF 99.47 KB / Pages 6
Name: heritage-maintenance-rising-damp-2004.pdf
Rising damp occurs as a result of capillary suction of moisture from the ground into porous masonry building materials such as stone, brick, earth and mortar. The moisture evaporates from either face of the wall (inside or outside), allowing more to be drawn from below.
The height to which the moisture will rise is determined by the evaporation rate and the nature of the wall. The normal limit for rising damp ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 metres above ground level.