How to Treat Rising Damp in South Africa — Step-by-Step

A South-African homeowner's guide to treating rising damp permanently — with the products, prep and drying times that actually work in Gauteng conditions.

Rising damp is the single most common wall failure in SA homes older than 20 years. The good news: it's completely fixable in a weekend if you follow the right sequence. Skip a step and you'll be redoing the job in 12 months.

Step 1 — Confirm it's actually rising damp

Tide-mark stops at roughly 1 m off the floor (higher = penetrating damp).
White salt crystals (efflorescence) along the skirting.
Paint bubbling from the bottom up, not from a ceiling leak.
Wall feels cold and slightly damp to the touch on hot days.

Step 2 — Strip back to bare brick

Chip off any blown plaster to at least 300 mm above the damp line. Brush off loose salts with a stiff wire brush. Do not skip this — sealing damp plaster in traps moisture behind the treatment and the wall fails again.

Step 3 — Apply Damp Gone Xtreme

Two saturating coats, wet-on-wet, with a masonry roller. One 5 L kit treats roughly 25 m². Full application walkthrough is on our DIY damp proofing kit page.

Step 4 — Wait, then replaster

The wall needs 4–6 weeks to release the trapped moisture before you replaster. Use a salt-retardant plaster (SABS-approved) for the first 20 mm, then finish normally. Paint only after another 2 weeks.

When to call a pro instead

External walls above 2.5 m, double-storey, or heavy salt damage needing replaster — book our professional damp proofing service with a 10-year written guarantee. Also see our DIY vs professional guide.