Rising Damp and Moisture Inspections form a very important part of the Pre-Purchase Property Inspection and the Timber Pest Inspection. Concrete slab floor homes with insufficient ground clearance (floor height above the ground) or poor drainage adjacent the building often have higher levels of damp or moisture detected at the base of the wall or the edges of the slab floor within the building. Floor coverings such as vinyl or rubber carpet underlay can trap this damp causing it to condense and pool under the floor covering. These damp wet conditions are very attractive to termites and also promote mould growth and unhealthy conditions.
Sheet plastic damp proof membranes which have not been laid to the face of the brickwork often allow damp to rise up the face of the brickwork causing higher than usual humidity levels within the wall cavity creating ideal conditions for termites. Often the brickwork mortar becomes soft and eroded and needs repairing. Poor surface drainage around the base of a stumped dwelling can cause damp and erosion to adversely affect concrete stumps and the steel reinforcing within the stumps corrodes causing concrete cancer.
