Q. We live in a terraced house about 100 years old. The downstairs wall, at the back of the house, where it joins next door has always had a damp patch on it, however recently moisture (appears to be clean water) is coming up through slight cracks in the asphalt floor, which seemingly was put down many years ago to cover the original flag floor. There are no water pipes in this area at all - is it possible for rising damp to actually do this? And to cure this would we need a damp proof course on the one wall and a new floor fitted?

Submitted by: JK
 

A. What you have described is termed 'free' water. If it is coming up through cracks in an asphalt floor then it is almost certainly not rising damp. Rising damp is 'capillary bound' in other words if you stroke your finger across it your finger should not be noticeably wet. Are you sure water is actually coming up through the floor and the problem is not just condensation forming on the surface of the floor - which is not unusual? You need to be certain that you get what ever the problem is correctly diagnosed to avoid undertaking unnecessary work. The damp patch on the wall may well be rising damp but does a garden wall abut the rear elevation externally or is the gutter dripping etc.? Investigate and eliminate all possible causes before taking drastic action.