Rising damp: Part 1. Case study examples and the Lambeth Pier Test: How to isolate ground-sourced rising damp by the ‘Burkinshaw Test Method’

Abstract

In a recent technical paper by the author,1 it was shown how moisture can rise significantly in a masonry pier standing in a tray of water. The pier was then given a dpc injection which appeared to work. But that testing of Camberwell Pier did not replicate ‘rising damp’, which has to be ground-sourced. The author now shows real-life examples of damp damage caused by a below-ground source, and describes the commencement of the Lambeth Pier Test by the ‘Burkinshaw Test Method’. Misconceptions concerning the definition of ‘rising damp’ and some inspection techniques are explained.