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Some of the common defects and misnomers affecting buildings

The following pages reflect common phrases used to identify defects in buildings.  These are simplified, not because you, as a householder, are considered unable to understand the true and various causes, but because they are promulgated by the damp industry who has dumbed-down the often complex defects so they can provide equally dumbed-down solutions like Rising damp - chemical injection or Penetrating damp - Waterproof membrane.

Rising damp

Rising damp
Staining to wallpaper at low level indicating rising damp

​This may simply be condensation or moisture trapped by previous damp proofing.

What it is absolutely guaranteed not to be is rising damp.

Penetrating damp

Penetrating damp
Staining at high level indicating penetrating damp
This may be from a leaking gutter, a poorly maintained chimney, recent heavy rain and strong wind, defects affecting the render or masonry externally.

It is not 'penetrating damp' as this suggests there is one fix - there isn't.  Any defect must be correctly identified.