DAMP PROOF COURSE - DPC - TIPS & ADVICE

See also Damp proofing general advice >

Damp proofing is a part of general building and construction, not plumbing as some beginners might think.

To keep your family happy in the house, make sure that you have at least 25% humidity. Follow these steps:

1. Check if the ground slopes down 6 inches or higher within the first ten feet from each exterior wall.
2. Afford air conditioning (AC) that is neither too big nor too small.
3. Afford electrically powered dehumidifier or natural gas desiccant dehumidifier to keep your interior left with 50% or less humidity.
4. Use exhaust fan or open a window to remove excessive humidity.
5. Use heat or energy recovery ventilator to remove excessive humidity and filter incoming fresh air to remove airborne mould spores, pollen and dust.
6. After you have finished taking your bath with a shower, wipe water droplets on the shower walls into the drain.
7. If you have wet laundry, hang it outside to avoid adding humidity into your room.
8. Reduce water vapour entry from the soil.
• Keep air pressure in the lowest rooms a bit higher than soil gas pressure to keep away water vapor from entering pores and cracks in the concrete. (This is more for controlled environments like offices)
• Use depressurisation. This is useful to expel water vapor and radon to the exterior so as not to let them flow through the pores and cracks in the concrete.
9. If you see any cold water pipe with a visibly damp exterior, insulate it.
10. Do not store paper, clothes or other "mould food" on the floor of your basement or outer walls where their moisture could become high enough to trigger mould growth.
11. Make sure rain water drains away quick enough to avoid the saturation of walls and floors.

Also note that buildings need ventilation openings or weep holes in the foundations are just above ground level to allow the structure to breathe, so preventing damp building up.

BASEMENT DAMPNESS

If your basement leaks or gets damp, there are several possible reasons. You need to check the gutters or downspouts that may have let water get into your basement. If your basement gets damped, you may experience loss of properties. Remodeling the basement can be one expensive solution. Another way is to choose the right basement DPC. Some companies offer these systems:

• Durable and versatile proofing system with multiple coats, mixing cement-based powder with water and apply them to walls, floors and ceilings by spray or trowel.
• Sealing the walls and ceilings using special sealed fixing plugs while leaving the floors intact.

Both these ways are capable of forming barrier on the walls, ceilings or floors to prevent water from getting in and leave your house only the required humidity.

See introduction to underfloor heating >