The damp-proof course is a flexible panel about 2 mm thick made of bitumen and composites, used in masonry to prevent moisture from the ground from rising into the walls of a house.
They are generally installed at the base of the wall but can also serve as a waterproof barrier under bay windows and window sills.
See also : How to Start a Business?
Features
- Damp-proof courses are available in rolls of 50 meters with widths of 25, 35, or 50 centimeters.
- The frame of this flexible panel is made of polyester/glass fibers.
- The binder is a mixture of bitumen and thermoplastic polymers.
- The upper and lower surfaces are impregnated with fine sand to facilitate adhesion to the mortar bed.
- Damp-proof courses are completely waterproof and rot-proof.
Implementation
The damp-proof course is laid dry on a layer of cement mortar about 2 cm thick after it has set and dried.
It is then protected by a second layer of cement mortar of equal thickness.
You may also like : How does a GPS work?
There is no need to weld or glue the damp-proof courses; they simply need to overlap by about 25 cm.
See the sketch in the memo published by the blog Home Dome.
Most often used in masonry, the damp-proof course also provides long-term protection for timber frame walls against rising moisture.
The reinforcement strip is often connected to the masonry hook (Mursec hook), which serves the dual purpose of securing double walls and helping to drain moisture generated by condensation; this water will fall to the base of the wall onto the reinforcement strip and be drained outside without wetting the masonry.
Important Installation Precautions
I searched for a long time for the cause of moisture infiltration in a north-facing room on the ground floor, until the day I realized that the floor was laid above the level of the damp-proof course, as it was laid flat, allowing drainage water to seep through this damp-proof course into the house and wet the drywall.
A simple kick to lower the grass level by a few centimeters is enough to solve the problem.