Damp Proofing in George — Rising Damp, Penetrating Damp & Wall Repairs
Rising damp, penetrating damp and lateral damp on George homes — diagnosed honestly, fixed properly. We don’t seal over symptoms; we find the cause and repair it with a written guarantee.
✓ NHBRC enrolled ✓ SANS 10400 compliant ✓ Workmanship guarantee ✓ Fully insured
What We Do
The three damp problems we see most often on the Southern Cape.
Rising Damp (DPC Failure)
Where the damp-proof course has failed or was never installed, moisture wicks up from the ground into the walls. We inject a new chemical DPC, strip the affected plaster, treat the brickwork, and re-plaster with salt-resistant render.
Penetrating Damp
External walls, parapets, or roof junctions letting water through. We find the entry point — cracked render, failed pointing, blocked weep holes, broken flashings — and fix the cause at the source. Then we dry and re-plaster the inside.
Lateral Damp & Basements
Below-ground walls letting moisture through from the soil side. We tank the internal face with a cementitious system or, where possible, externally waterproof the exposed face. See also our basement waterproofing page for full-depth work.
How It Works
- Moisture survey. We use a damp meter, look at the external walls, check the DPC line, check gutters and flashings, and identify whether it’s rising, penetrating, lateral, or condensation. Different problems, different fixes.
- Diagnosis discussion. We explain what we found, show you the photos, and describe the fix in plain language. No jargon, no scare tactics.
- Written quote. Line-item quote for the diagnosed problem — injection, plaster strip, render, paint, external repairs as needed. Fixed price.
- Repair sequence. Source fixed first (DPC injection, external repair, or flashing rebuild), then affected plaster stripped, treated, and re-plastered with salt-resistant render. Drying time allowed before painting.
- Handover and guarantee. Written workmanship guarantee on the damp repair, plus any manufacturer warranty on injection chemicals or waterproofing products.
Common Questions
How do I know if it’s rising damp or something else?
Classic rising damp shows as a tide mark up to ~1m above floor level, often with salt staining. Penetrating damp appears higher up or in patches related to external features (windows, flashings, walls). Condensation is usually on cold external walls in poorly ventilated rooms. We confirm with a moisture meter and visual inspection.
Do I need chemical DPC injection?
Only if there’s a genuine rising damp problem with a failed or missing DPC. We see a lot of homes sold chemical DPC when the actual problem was penetrating damp or condensation. We diagnose honestly first — if injection isn’t the right fix, we’ll tell you.
Can I paint over damp?
You can, but it’ll peel off within weeks and the damp will show through. The only durable fix is to deal with the source and re-plaster with the right render. Bandaging with ‘damp seal’ paint wastes money.
Is damp covered by insurance?
Usually not — damp is classified as maintenance. However, water damage from a sudden event (burst pipe, storm damage to flashing) often is. We can write the inspection report in a form suitable for insurance submission if the damage stems from a covered event.
We Serve George and the Surrounding Towns
Based in George, waterproofing roofs, walls, balconies and below-ground structures the length of the Garden Route.
George · Wilderness · Mossel Bay · Great Brak River · Glentana · Herolds Bay · Sedgefield · Knysna · Plettenberg Bay · Hartenbos · Oudtshoorn · Riversdale
Related pages and reading
Got Damp?
Honest diagnosis, written quote, no pressure. Call 073 160 7619 or book a site visit.
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