At Premier Heritage we see many different kinds of damp proofing systems installed in properties. The document link below is to an independent review of a European system of damp proofing that we have now seen being fitted into properties in the United Kingdom.
The document is a must read for fellow damp professionals as well as members of the public considering the installation of a damp proofing system.
A European damp proofing system
A Review of an Environmentally Driven Damp-Proofing System
some comments
There are currently 6 of themreply
I’ve seen this system fitted to several properties; their literature claims it’s the ‘Master cure for all forms of dampness’ and that you don’t need to re-plaster the walls. So, assuming the property has a genuine rising damp problem with damaged decorations and salt contaminated plaster, how does the master cure resolve this, it won’t!
Also seen it fitted to listed buildings, shouldn’t be done, as firstly, it would probably need LBC and secondly probably wouldn’t be approved.
As for curing condensation ………….. Laughable.
Nick Jenkins
Hi Nick,
Good point on the plastering etc there’s no mention of this on the web sites!
Several Conservation Officers I work with have already indicated that the system wouldn’t be approved if permission were sort for its installation and one is trying to get it removed from a building where it was fitted without permission; they’re ugly looking things and will obviously ruin the aesthetic appearance of a building, look at the 18th Century Listed building in the picture above, lime rendered!!
Premier
A couple of points:
1, If your property is already damp, then re-plastering is of course necessary. Seems the wording of the literature needs re-phrasing to take this into account.
2, LBC approval notwithstanding, what about the thousands of old properties that have benefitted from this method which is used, I believe, by a company called Holland Damp Proofing. I googled them and they seem genuinely green and clued-up, unlike some of the chemical-injection cowboys I’ve experience of!
3, Talking of ugly, what’s uglier than studs pressed into Accrington bricks?
Eric
Hi Eric,
In response to your recent email
(1) I would confirm that the advertising for the ‘Green’ Damp Proofing System is very misleading. If being installed because the property has (genuine) rising damp problem, then I’m guessing that the decorations would probably be spoilt and the plaster contaminated with ground salts, which would normally require some degree of replastering as part of the overall damp proofing process.
However the advertising states no plastering and installed with no fuss and mess!
(2) Can’t comment on the efficacy of the system in the thousands of properties you mention, although on those I have personally been involved with the clients eventually got their money back (as per the guarantee claim. In these particular cases the system wasn’t doing what it claimed the system would do…… i.e. remove, control, get rid of, or eradicate the dampness for which they were installed!
(3) I’m in total agreement, but I guess you can easily remove the plastic plugs and make good?
PC
I have spoken to one of the top guys in the country about these systems and he advised me to stay well clear of these systems. one thing is how do you treat a party wall?
Any idea of price for this system