Rising Damp in a Hallway and Stair Wall on Arundel Road, High Wycombe
A house on Arundel Road in High Wycombe had peeling paint and damp along the left hand hallway wall and up beside the stairs.
Project at a Glance
The Brief
The owners had paint peeling along the hallway and wanted to know if the stairs were affected.
The Survey
Outside, the front ground levels were bridging the existing physical damp proof course and needed lowering to at least 150mm below it. Heavy vegetation was blocking the front downpipe, so its discharge point could not be fully checked.
Inside, readings were high and paint was peeling along the left hallway wall and up beside the staircase, consistent with rising damp. The stair stringer itself read dry.
The Solution
The report recommended:
- Remove salt contaminated plaster to 1.2 metres, or 500mm above the damp line.
- Inject a chemical DPC to BS 6576.
- Re render with a specialist salt retardant system.
- Lower the external ground clear of the DPC line.
The Work
The damp proofing was carried out on 23 and 24 September 2026.
The Result
The hallway was treated and the stair timber confirmed dry. See our page on damp proofing in High Wycombe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high should plaster be removed for rising damp?
Usually to 1.2 metres, or 500mm above the highest sign of damp, whichever is greater.
What is BS 6576?
The British Standard for installing chemical damp proof courses in masonry.
Could damp affect my staircase?
Timber touching a damp wall can be affected, so it is tested. Here it read dry.
Damp in your hallway?
Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors find the real cause before recommending any work. Non-invasive survey with a clear written report. No obligation.
Project completed by Advanced Damp in High Wycombe.
Sam Fitzgerald is the founder of Advanced Damp and a working damp and structural waterproofing surveyor diagnosing and treating moisture problems in residential and commercial properties across London and the South East. He is FODCS certified (a Federation of Damp Certified Surveyor) and a member of the Federation of Damp. His hands-on work covers rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, basement waterproofing to BS 8102, and thermal imaging surveys, and he has personally completed over 400 damp surveys across properties of every type and age. Everything he writes draws directly from jobs he has carried out. He does not write about treatments, products or causes he has not dealt with first-hand in the field.
