How to tell if rising or penetrating damp?
Hi! We have some decking that is built right up to the house, it extends up against the house and an extension, the problem area is a corner that doesn’t get much sun.
There is an area of bricks that don’t dry out when we’ve had a lot of rain, and the damp is starting to come through the wall in this area. In the summer it’s fine but winter it becomes damp again. It’s important to say that the decking remains damp for a long time on this area too due to the lack of sun in it this area.
Before I start ripping stuff up, how do I know if it’s a failed damp course in this area of bricks or penetrating damp caused by splashback off the decking? I don’t want to start removing the decking if it’s actually the damp course that’s the issue - but how can I tell?!
Many thanks
Advice from 1 local tradesperson
Check with a damp reader the decking is more than lightly above the dpc level causing penetrative damp and the damp come out in water marks or patches and mould rising damp comes out in salts in plaster or render I would take off 1.2m on that wall on inside the inject into mortar above floor level then tank and dot and dabbed the boards on allowing airflow between boards and brickwork for rising damp
