# Forum Forum Help Desk Introduce Yourself  Using villa board to cover damp

## Plshelpme

I am hoping someone out there can help me.  I have just had a rising damp ëxpert" come and give me some advice on dealing with rising damp in my house.  He has suggested that it is not a problem (even though the damp is 2-3 feet up the walls) and to just cover it over with villaboard and ignore it.  He tells me that by covering over with villaboard (cement board) it will stop it from breathing and therefore will not rise anymore.  I am not convinced in the least.  Has anyone out there used villaboard for this purpose and if so is it OK to treat damp this way?  I am very confused and would appreciate your thoughts.

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## SilentButDeadly

no & no. 
You need to check/replace your dampcourse

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## r3nov8or

holy cow. has that guy got shares in JamesHardie? Definitely hasn't got any in dampcourse and mould cleaning/prevention companies. 
Get a second opinion.

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## Hoppy

I agree with the others, they guy has no knowledge of rising damp.
The Villaboard will hide it, for only as long as it takes the rising damp to get to the top of the sheet.
Insert a new damp course and replace the affected material. 
Sure it makes a mess, but if its worth doing, do it right the first time.

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## jago

I hope you like getting sick as that is just a recipe for nasties to grow ...he's talking bollox get somebody in that knows what they're talking about.

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## Oldsaltoz

I have sealed cracks in floor slabs and wall to blockwork leaks using Krystol. 
It looks like cement dust, when applied it forms crystals in the concrete and stops the moisture. 
Invented a few years ago when new dam developed a leak on the dry side. 
It can take 3 application a week apart, this allow crystal growth between applications. 
Depending on the type and shape of the surface some different application methods may be required. 
Let me know if you need more info. 
Good luck. :Smilie:

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## Craigoss

You need to fix it properly, that guy has no idea. To fix it properly you need to replace/insert a dampcourse as mentioned. This is done by removing a row of bricks down the whole wall one or two at a time and insert a plastic damp course, or by doing a chemical damp course (injectable creams or chemical injection). After which you will need to let the walls dry out, A brick will take 9 months to fully dry out. If there is render/white on the walls, this needs to be removed (up till 400mm above the high point of the water stains) to let the walls dry out for as long as possible. Then get the walls re-rendered using a salt retarder.

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