humidade ascendente
Published 8 November 2026, 22:44
humidade ascendente — rising damp from the ground
Water that travels up the walls from the foundations: old houses usually have no damp-proofing at all. You can spot it by peeling paint and a white bloom of salts low down on the wall, up to a height of about a metre. Airing will not cure it; it takes building work: a damp-proof course, waterproofing, special plaster.
Where you come across it. Viewing a flat or house before renting or buying, talking to the landlord about repairs, a building survey report.
It is often confused with condensation, but condensation gathers high up and in corners, while rising damp comes from below. Painting over it is pointless, as the paint will come off along with the salts. Rising damp is a reason to haggle over the price or look for another home.