Damp course system

An "Electro Osmotic Dampcourse System" has been recommended to an
architect colleague for use on an historic building.  According to
data from the manufacturing company:

   "Holes are drilled into the affected masonry about 1 metre apart,
    (the anodes being "built in" along the anode wire at
    predetermined centres), to a depth of approximately one third of
    the wall thickness.  Platinized titanium anodes are then
    inserted.  Moisture flow is reversed as it is attracted back
    down into the soil away from the building". They also state that
    they have treated 242 listed buildings in the UK.

I would be grateful for any comments of the effectiveness or
otherwise of this method for damp proofing historic buildings.

Jenny Dickens
Conservator
Heritage Victoria
27 Francis Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
+61 3 9616 2390
Fax: +61 3 9616 2393


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:11
                  Distributed: Thursday, July 12, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-11-018
                                  ***