DAMPNESS IN BUILDINGS
Dampness In Buildings CAUSES OF DAMPNESS Dampness may be caused by: (a) Ground water (b) Rainwater and (c) Leakages from pipes. (a) Dampness due to Ground Water: All buildings are founded on soils. Soil holds water for along time. Sometimes water level may rise and come in contact with foundation. Due to capillary action moisture from ground rises into foundation, floor and even in wall. (b) RainWater : May enter the building components due to various reasons. ( i ) From wall top: If top of wall is not protected with impervious course like concrete, water can enter the wall and keep it damp for a long time. (ii) From face of external walls: Splashing of outer wall by rain results into moisture entering the wall. Poor plaster coat is the main source of this type of dampness. (iii) Improper fixing of downtake pipes: If downtake pipes from roof are not properly fixed , a thin layer of water stagnates near the mouth of downtake pipes. This results