The FREEZTEQ(R) frozen damp-course system was invented in 1965. It has been used successfully for fifty years to provide a damp-proof course to a variety of brick and stone buildings, both in the UK and worldwide. In 1975 FREEZTEQ(R) was awarded a Gold Medal at the 4th Salon International des Inventions et des Techniques Nouvelles in Geneva. FREEZTEQ(R) is a unique and highly effective damp-proof system which offers several major advantages over other chemical techniques. It is based on siliconate solutions (in the form of circular section, pre-frozen packs called "ice sticks"), which are inserted into holes drilled into the mortar line of the wall to be treated. The slow-melting system ensures a continuous water-repellent barrier throughout the treated area because the system depends on diffusion, which research has shown to be the most effective method for fluid distribution in masonry. Accurate dosages can be readily achieved. Application costs are thus remarkably low.