Is it a good idea to install my own injection damp proof course? Any hints or tips?!?

Question

I have a victorian terrace house with rising damp. Are there any tips or pit-falls for injecting a damp proof course? Any recommended products would also be helpful.

Answer 1

It is a very good idea indeed.  You can do this easily and as well as the so-called professionals.  Get several people round to give you written quotes of what they would do for how much.  Many will give you a little diagram of which biots of wall need injection, so you don't have to decide that for yourself.  Go to your local hire shop and rent a good SDS drill and the right sized bit for a weeekend and drill all the holes.  Then rent the injection machine the next weekend.  If you have a helper who can either drill or inject you can do it all in one weekend.  The hire shops sell the silicone fluid and often supply you with a guarantee form for the fluid.  I have done this several times including one time when the morgatge company held back money till it was done.  They were very happy that I did it and ssent in the hire receipt and fluid guarantee.  Last time, I did my previous house, I was working outside and 4 people asked me to come and quote for theirs.  I told them I was DIYing and they stiull wanted me to come and do theirs.  You will save a fortune.  Last time I was quoted £2-3000 by various people and it cost me about 150 in hire and fluid costs.  I have my own drtill though so you might pay a bit more - say £200.  Yes you shoudl remove the plaster to 1 metre inside and have it redone, but if you do that and the injection all you are paying is the cost of plastering (waterproof render in most cases), but that is something you can do also. Alternatively When I did thius the first time, we made some panelling for the bottom metre of wall and it looked great and saved on plastering.

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Answer 2

Before you even bother with injection make sure of the source of the damp as 99% of the time its not rising and the dpc is fine, most common is condensation or dpc by-pass normally in kitchens with a solid floor, or if outside rendered down to path therefore bypassing the dpc.

Answer 3

use indoors not outside?

Answer 4

Have a look here http://www.diydata.com/

Answer 5

if you don`t know then you should get some one who does to do it for you

Answer 6

The injection machine alone would cost you around the price of getting it done by a professional. its not a D.I.Y. job buddy. To start with you are gonna have to chop all the affected plaster/render off the walls and then when the damp proofing is done replaster, if you are gonna cut corners you'd probably be better of trying to redecorate after letting the pro's do the skilled work.