What exactly is rising capillary ground moisture?
Rising capillary ground moisture is a problem that occurs with walls in direct contact with the ground. These walls have either no or damaged horizontal insulation.
How can I tell if moisture is rising?
The visible signs are a crumbling of paint and plaster. If you take a closer look, you can frequently also notice salts in the areas where the moisture escapes.
Often one also perceives an unpleasant musty smell in the room, not quite so often black mould appears on the walls.
Why does the water in the walls rise?
The reason why water rises up the walls can be explained by a physical phenomenon. Water molecules have a force – the so-called cohesive force – that holds them together. If you look at a drop of water in a glass, for example, you will notice that it will not move for a long time, will not slide down if it is not too heavy. Or if you look closely at a glass of water, you will notice that the water at the edge of the glass makes a small upward curve – that is exactly the cohesive force.
Where do you find ascending humidity?
Any wall that is not properly insulated absorbs moisture. How the moisture is absorbed depends on the material or the construction technique used, as these determine the cross-section of the capillaries. Typically you find rising damp in old buildings.
