If you are not familiar with the damp proof course, you need to know that it is simply a part of the home construction process in order to prevent future dampness. Maybe you want to know why you need this course for damp treatment. You need the service once dampness comes out from the ground and slowly rises through the capillary channels of any building or house.
Normally, a course will be installed when a building or a home is constructed or a home extension is erected. In modern buildings, a damp proof course is its physical membrane. Older buildings use bitumen as damp proof, but some older building does not have any damp proof course. This course is specifically designed to stop or prevent dampness right before it creates damage.
There are diverse methods of damp proof courses that you need to know in order to find out what is the best method that will suit your building or your home. Take a look at each damp treatment and learn more about its benefits.
The chemical damp proof course
This requires drilling holes just above the external ground level to the base of the walls. There is a cream or silicone fluid that will be injected within these holes. The main objective of this treatment course is to repel moisture that will rise up the wall. The drawback of this method is that it is a hit and miss because there is a lot of barring in this damp proof course. The density and the quality of the wall can affect the effectiveness of this method. The drilling of the hole in the appropriate diameter, depth and volume of the cream is very hard to gauge, and this can result in failure. This is the reason why this course requires the removal of plaster and re-plastering with the use of a waterproofing additive.
Physical Damp proof course
It involves cutting the mortar joints alongside the walls with the use of an electric joint saw and the new physical damp proof course will be inserted in each section. This course is good in terms of long years of effectiveness, but it can be very expensive as well as disruptive because they will literally cut through your walls.
Electro osmosis damp proof course
It uses a titanium wire that will be passed through the wall and it will be treated at regular intervals. These wires are pushed within holes created along with the brickwork. A voltage is applied and will stop the dampness. The truth about this method is that it has been proven effective as a damp proof course and is rarely used nowadays.
Cavity membranes
This is not actually a damp proof course, but it is more of an alternative. This damp treatment is becoming famous when it comes to treating dampness inside any home or building. These membranes are made of polyethene plastic and polypropylene membranes. These are moulded to form a stud to create an edge box appearance. This is called a cavity membrane because it can create an air gap in the middle of the membrane and the wall in which it is applied. Once applied, it will allow moisture to evaporate with the help of the air gap. This is a cost efficient method that can be used in conjunction with other damp proof courses mentioned above.