Water is a polar molecule, making DC-powered Electro-Osmosis Flow systems a highly effective way to remove water from a wall and return it to the ground, such as in cases of rising damp.

• It’s environmentally safe (no chemicals), and the titanium cable is recyclable.
• Great for Historic buildings as it is entirely reversible.
• Remove salts from masonry walls, as Dr Scott Allan Orr mentioned at the 2024 PCA conference.
• Unlike a chemical DPC, the installation can be tested non-destructively at any time with a multimeter.

The problem it faces in engaging customers is its scientific approach.

Builders dislike this approach because they prefer drilling holes and injecting a chemical, which is a more physical method. Clients can see something physical happening to their building. The chemical company’s paid-for BBA certificate supports this.

A problem with the electrical current.

First, you need to understand the issue Benjamin Franklin introduced, an 18th-century American scientist. He designated the direction of the electrical current flow as positive to negative. This designation is called “conventional current flow.” This designation is incorrect. He had a 50/50 chance of getting the statement right. This also led to the failure of the Rentokil passive system in the UK during the 1960s.

Why Electro Osmosis Works

British physicist J.J. Thomson first detected electrons in the late 19th century. It was found that the electron flow is negative. It flows in the opposite direction to what is commonly referred to as “conventional current flow.” There was a problem, as we have many books, including works by Thomas Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell’s equations, among others. However, it doesn’t matter what you call an electron; you could call it an A-type or Z-type electron. The math works essentially the same. Many people misunderstand the actual flow of electrons.

For instance, all the batteries you buy have the negative terminal at one end and the positive terminal at the other. This is the opposite of the labelling that follows Benjamin Franklin’s “conventional current flow” theory.

Once you understand that the electrical conducting supply is filled with hot, negatively charged electrons ready to flow into the titanium circuit in the wall, creating an electromagnetic field at the speed of light. You can then begin to comprehend how electro-osmosis reverses capillary-held water migration in a masonry wall.

A simple analogy: if you hold two magnets with the same poles, they repel each other. This is basically how electro-osmosis works in a masonry wall. It prevents water from creeping up through the porous masonry from the ground.

Reason for brown stains, etc., at the anode of an electro-osmosis system:

The science bit:
When direct current (DC) electricity is passed through lime water, electrolysis occurs, decomposing the water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Lime water, an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide, will also participate in the electrolysis, though the primary effect is the breakdown of water. Hydrogen gas will be released at the cathode, and oxygen gas at the anode.

The fix:

Install the anodes above ground in the wall using 14- to 18-mm drill holes. At this time, anodes must be grouted or encased in Portland cement to prevent direct contact with lime mortars or masonry. This grouting process will not interfere with the system’s electromagnetic field.

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