Rising damp - injecting against moisture problems!

Massimo Pigliucci, science philosopher - Exposing nonsense is our moral duty!

The myth of the so-called "rising damp" stays persistent. Everyone believes it and takes it for true (out of ignorance), while it has nothing to do with the actual cause.

If wet walls are measured in houses with moisture problems, with a high frequency measurement device up to 12cm depth, without plaster layers, than we indeed measure wet bricks on a certain height. However below that we measureless wet bricks. If the wall would absorb moisture capillary, the wall should measure from below to above, from wet to dry. So the theory of rising damp does not make sense.

If we measure the floor with a high frequency measurement device up to 12 cm depth, than we measure that the floor is every wetter than the walls. If the walls absorb moisture capillary, why is the floor than even wetter than the walls? Also here the theory of rising damp doe not make sense.

Traditions stay persistent, despite the law of construction physics

If we inspect the house correctly, we see that, in most cases, the paved surface outside is as high as the floor inside. With rainfall the ground level zone (= first 30cm under the garden or paved surface) is completely saturated with rainwater. This rainwater runs horizontally through the unprotected wall into the floor of the ground floor. So it is normal that the floor measures even wetter than the walls. This is not rising damp! Also placing a horizontal barrier will not stop the flow of rainwater.

In best case injecting against rising damp can camouflage certain consequential damage (among others with a plaster membrane), but is will not take care of the real cause.
A wet floor, by the way, costs 20 – 30% on the heating costs. Vaporisation of moisture cools a house constantly.

Conclusion: given the previous facts, determined with a forensic investigation on more than 40.000 buildings in the Benelux, Germany and France, there was never any rising damp found. We can conclude that the alleged “rising damp” does not exist.

If the promised result does not deliver, I have some bad news. The real cause of all the posed moisture problems is not taken away. The floor stays cold, the windows condensate on cold nights, the mold stays in the corners of the bedrooms, etc.

A result-oriented commitment is a commitment where the debtor, seen the nature of the made commitment, commits himself to guarantee a certain result.

Look before you leap.

Eddy H. J. Cruysberghs
Forensic technical expert
Moisture expert