Injecting walls against rising damp: info and prices

Injecting walls is an effective and quite cheap way to treat rising damp. Here you install a chemical damp proof course that prevents the water in your walls from rising. Everything on the importance, method and prices of injecting walls can be found in this article.

Go to: method – prices – DIY or expert?

Why injecting walls?

Rising damp is an annoying problem that is often caused by the lack of, or badly functioning damp proof course. Even though this is found in older houses in particular, the problem is recurring in newer buildings with flaws in the damp proof course as well.

Ground water can penetrate your walls because of the lack of, or a badly functioning damp proof course. This rising damp could have nasty consequences:

• Health issues: for example allergies or respiratory problems
• Erosion of the wall finish: Paint, wallpaper, plaster work… could come loose. Mould or damp patches on the inner and outer walls could also be a clear indication of rising damp.
• Musty smell: damp problems can create a mouldy smell inside.
• Damage to the construction of the building: it starts with musty smells, mould or damp patches, but rising damp could also cause irreparable damage to the construction work of your house.

Method

The most commonly used method when treating damp walls is injecting them. Here you inject your walls with a damp proof product to stop the rising damp from going any further.

How does this work?

1. Drill holes
   Drill holes all the way through the affected walls, about 3 to 5 cm above ground level and 10 to 15 cm between them. How many holes to drill exactly depends on the type of injection product used, the make-up of the wall and the extent or depth of the damp penetration.
2. Inject damp proofing product
   Special tubes are placed in these holes, in which the damp proofing product is injected. This product is absorbed by the brickwork. There it expands and forms a damp proofing course that prevents water from penetrating the walls.
3. Be careful!
   In some cases you need to coat your walls again after injecting them. It is of the utmost importance that the wall is completely dry before applying the new coating.
   How long that takes depends on the thickness of the wall. Divide that thickness by 2 and you know how many months to wait for your walls to completely dry out. For example: if your wall is 30 cm, you have to wait 15 months.

» The right damp proofing product

Injecting walls is possible with damp proofing products in both gel or liquid form. Injecting walls with a gel usually works quicker. A thorough inspection of the wall should determine which type of product is best. This depends on different factors, such as the type of wall and urgency.

TIP: when comparing prices from different damp specialists, it’s important to know which type of product they’re using. Less known products are often cheaper, but do they prove as affective? As they say, buy cheap and waste your money, and seeing as do-overs are never easy it’s recommended that you choose a well-known brand that has build its (good) reputation over many years.

Getting rid of damp problems once and for all requires the right diagnosis and a correct approach. That’s why you’d do well to contact an expert. With his knowledge and experience he will be able to offer you the best solution. That way quality and a long-term solution are guaranteed. Ask for your free, noncommittal price offers with our experts via the quotation page.

Prices

The cost for injecting walls depend on different factors, such as the number of infected walls, the thickness of the wall, the number of square meters, the materials used… On average, prices start around £ 90 per meter.

DIY or call in an expert?

Waterproofing your cellar is a job that asks for quite some technical expertise. Injecting walls yourself can seem like the cheapest way, at first, but more often than not it is exactly the other way around.

Mistakes are easily made and could cause unnecessarily high costs afterwards. Plus, take into account that, when you do it yourself, you have to provide all the necessary materials as well, which can cost quite a lot.

When you call in an expert, you can enjoy some interesting benefits:

• The correct diagnosis and tailor-made advice: which problem are you dealing with (rising damp, penetrating damp…) and which damp treatment is the right fit? Thanks to his expertise and experience, an expert can advise and assist you in making the right choices.
• Extra guarantee: on top of that an expert can always guarantee you. Is the problem not solved immediately? He’ll be ready. Don’t hesitate to ask!
• No need to buy your own materials: an expert will always have the necessary material at his disposal. That way you don’t have to buy them yourself, and that saves quite a bit of money for a one-time job.

Receive your free, tailor-made price offers from certified experts in your area.

Things to consider

• Does your wall have a cavity? In order to treat damp cavity walls, you have to inject both the inner and outer wall.
• Damage to the brickwork needs to be mended before injection: when your brickwork shows cracks, it’s important to fix these beforehand. Otherwise the injection product can leak.