After every monsoon, many homes and shops in Bareilly show the same signs: paint bubbling at the bottom of walls, white salt marks, a musty smell and damp patches that come back no matter how often the wall is repainted. Some of this is rain getting in, but a lot of it is moisture rising from the ground. The two look similar, and they need completely different treatments. Coating a wall with rising damp in waterproof paint usually makes things worse.

Rising damp or rain penetration?

SignRising dampRain penetration
WhereBottom 0.5 to 1 metre of walls, often all around the roomOuter walls, often higher up, near cracks or windows
WhenWorst in and after the monsoon, damp all year in bad casesAfter rain, dries in dry spells
Salt marksCommon, a white tide markLess common
FixDamp treatment at the wall base, breathable plasterCrack repair and exterior waterproof coating

We use moisture readings at different heights to tell which one you have.

Treating rising damp

For rising damp, the usual approach is:

  1. remove salt-damaged plaster up to a little above the damp line
  2. install a damp barrier at the base of the wall, often by chemical injection
  3. let the wall dry
  4. replaster with a suitable, breathable plaster
  5. finish with breathable paint, not a sealed waterproof coating

It takes longer than painting, but it stops the cycle of repainting every year.

Rain through external walls

Where rain is the problem, we repair cracks and gaps around windows from outside and apply an elastomeric waterproof coating. It keeps rain out and moves with the wall.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms leaking into rooms or shops below are fixed by removing tiles, sealing traps and pipes, applying a membrane under new tiles and testing with ponding before retiling.

Water tanks

Overhead and underground tanks in homes, hospitals and factories are drained, repaired at corners and joints, and coated. Drinking water tanks get potable-water certified products.

Low-lying plots and drainage

Many buildings in Bareilly are on plots lower than the road, where rainwater collects against walls. Waterproofing works much better when surface drainage is improved too, by sloping ground away from walls and clearing drains. We point these out during the survey.

FAQs

We repaint every year, but the damp keeps coming back. Why?

Most likely it's rising damp or a hidden leak. Paint doesn't stop moisture from below, so the cause needs treating.

Can rising damp be treated without breaking the whole wall?

Yes. Only the damaged plaster is removed, and the damp barrier is installed at the base, usually by drilling and injection.

When is the best time for this work?

After the monsoon, from October to March, when walls can dry out properly.

Call +91-8755475716 or send photos of the damp walls on WhatsApp. More details are on our waterproofing page.

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