Rising damp and negative-side waterproofing? We have the solution

Did you know that rising damp is among the most frequent causes of damage to walls and floors? The presence of rising damp can be easily identified through spots, salt efflorescence, growth of microorganisms, and mosses. But to solve this problem is not so easy. Read on and discover our complete solution for the treatment of rising damp.

Why should you care about rising damp?

The absence of intervention in cases of rising damp can lead to the destruction of the structure of the walls of a building, as well as of its finishes, such as plasters, paintings, wood, among others. This is because this type of moisture in combination with the contamination of salts and /or cold can structurally destroy the masonry, which is the set of stones, bricks, or blocks that together form the walls of a building.

By reducing the lifespan of buildings, rising humidity can, therefore, be responsible for high costs for homeowners.

Ask for a specialized diagnosis

Before any renovation work, the presence of rising damp must always be identified by a specialist.

The specialist will also be able to determine key factors for solving the problem, such as the type of damage existing, the characteristics of the construction and the salt and moisture content of the construction materials.

How can you stop rising damp?

There are two fundamental ways to stop rising damp:

Moisturize its surfaces: Moisturizing the surface of a pore means modifying the surface so that it becomes water-repellent (water-repellent), thus interrupting the action of capillarity.

Blocking active capillaries: blocking a pore means filling the pores totally or partially in order to stop water transport. It is crucial to bring enough material into the pore so that the pore diameter is narrowed enough so that capillary action is no longer possible.

Discover the KÖSTER Crisin 76 Concentrate solution

KÖSTER Crisin 76 Concentrate eliminates rising dampness through three effects:

Align capillaries with a water-repellent film;
The pore is so narrow that capillary action becomes impossible;
Cures by forming a membrane along the total diameter of the capillary tube.

These combined effects ensure that KÖSTER Crisin 76 Concentrate works non-stop, regardless of pore structure, salt, or moisture.

The first buildings that were treated with this solution (over 30 years ago), keep the horizontal barriers intact and functioning at 100%.

Reasons to choose KÖSTER Crisin 76 Concentrate

suitable, even in cases of high moisture content (up to 95%);
appropriate, even in cases of high salt content;
suitable for all types of salts (sulfates, nitrates, chlorides);
free of odors, solvents and VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) and has no harmful effect on the environment and people;
the treated substrate does not need to be alkaline for the material to react;
no need to dry the wall before or after, even in the case of high humidity levels;
it cannot be diluted in water – it is not soluble in water;
resistant to most common aggressive substances that are found in masonry, such as acids, alkalis, and salts;
quick reaction, of immediate effectiveness;
made from renewable raw materials;
not biodegradable;
does not cause or promote corrosion of steel reinforcement;
density (0.91g / cm3) – penetrates deeply into the smaller capillaries of construction materials;
the cured material develops a horizontal elastic barrier;
can be applied on perforated and cracked brick or hollow masonry without the need to fill the voids previously;
no subsequent injection required, installation in a short time, guaranteed success;
patented system;
easy installation, with horizontal drilling;
the principle of action of the material has real proof of effectiveness for more than 30 years
10-year warranty – provided it is applied by a certified applicator.

The horizontal barrier in combination with the negative-side waterproofing of floors and walls

Negative waterproofing means that the waterproofing layer is applied on the side of the building element that is opposite to the side with direct contact with water.

Waterproofing on the negative side is more difficult than waterproofing on the positive side, because water penetrates through the wall or floor, behind the waterproofing material, and tries to “push” it out of the substrate.

Hence the importance of using a material that is able to penetrate the capillaries and “close them”, preventing the passage of water. This is the case of waterproofing with NB1 Gray.

Walls

Negative-side waterproofing is applied together with the horizontal Crisin barrier when the wall is buried.

The walls must be completely stripped to expose the base substrate (brick or concrete) that must be repaired in order to be clean, cohesive, absorbent, and regularized, thus allowing to apply the composite system that has the NB1 Gray as its protagonist.

Floor

It is necessary to apply a negative-side waterproofing when the floor is in a saturated area of water, with high water tables.

The procedures for preparing the floor are the same as those already mentioned for the walls and, in this case, of the composite system to be applied, we highlight two constituents: the NB1 Gray and the Koster Deuxan.

The illustration below confronts the waterproofing solution on the negative side (on the right side of the image) with waterproofing on the positive side.

When the problem occurs in an already finished construction, negative waterproofing is generally the most economical and fastest way because it is carried out from the inside, avoiding the destruction of the exterior arrangements and works of greater complexity or even impracticable to be carried out from the outside.

At Prudêncio, we are representatives and exclusive applicators in Portugal of the Koster brand for TPO products and systems and we are certified applicators recommended for Crisin and negative-side waterproofing systems. Together we develop unique solutions that meet the high level of demand from our customers.

Get in touch with us and ask for diagnosis now.

SEE ALSO: The importance of KÖSTER