Restoring A House For Rent

If you are considering restoring an older house in order to rent or sell it, you are probably aware that it needs to comply with the BER standard.

As part of the process of modernising your property, especially if it is an older house, you may also want to think about fitting a damp proof course in the walls of your house.

A damp proof course is a water impenetrable barrier that is placed into the walls or floor of a house to prevent water rising up from the ground on which the building is constructed.

If water finds its way near dry masonry, the small holes in the brickwork will quickly suck up the water and this will continue until the water saturation level in the bricks of your house is equal to the water saturation level in the ground beneath it.

Signs of this dampness include green algae growing on a exterior wall, or wallpaper that won't stay pasted onto an interior wall, which may also have black mould growing on it.

A retrofitted silicone damp proof course can be easily and quickly installed in your house and these damp proof courses are very effective at blocking the passage of water.

To install a silicone damp proof course, holes are drilled at regular intervals in the external walls of the house, and the silicone damp proof material is injected under pressure. The silicone is initially in liquid form, but it is absorbed into the brick of your wall and it dries quickly, forming an impenetrable water barrier.

It is essential to prevent water finding an alternative path from the ground into your walls, so avoid building paving or paths higher than the line of the DPC and don't pile up rubbish or soil against walls.

This article is only intended as a basic general summary and you should always seek professional advice where necessary.

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