How to Prevent Rising Damp — 7 Things Every SA Homeowner Should Do

Prevention is 10x cheaper than a cure. Seven practical habits and checks that stop rising damp from ever starting in your home.

Most rising damp we treat could have been prevented with a Saturday morning of maintenance. If your home is currently dry, keep it that way with these seven checks.

1. Keep soil and paving below the DPC line

The damp proof course sits about 150 mm above ground level. Garden beds, new paving or a raised driveway that bridges this line lets moisture bypass the DPC entirely. Dig back any soil piled against outside walls.

2. Clear gutters and downpipes twice a year

A blocked downpipe soaks the base of the wall every time it rains. Check before and after the Highveld summer rains.

3. Never block air bricks

Suspended-floor homes rely on air bricks for ventilation. Rendering over them during a renovation is a top-3 cause of rising damp in older Gauteng homes.

4. Slope paving away from the house

A 1:60 fall (about 15 mm per metre) is enough to shed water. Flat or reverse-falling paving ponds water against the wall.

5. Fix leaking taps and geyser overflows immediately

A dripping outside tap saturates the ground around a wall foundation within weeks.

6. Ventilate wet rooms

Extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens stop condensation being mistaken for rising damp — and stop mould in its own right.

7. Treat proactively if your home is 30+ years old

Original DPCs from before 1995 are often at end-of-life. A proactive treatment with our DIY Xtreme kit costs a fraction of a post-failure repair. Not sure if you need it? WhatsApp us photos of your skirting and we'll tell you honestly.