What is Dampness | Causes of Dampness | Effects of Dampness

What Is Dampness and How Does It Affect You?

The capillary attraction of sub-soil water in the foundation and walls of the building is the most typical source of dampness.

Water can infiltrate masonry due to faulty sills, poor craftsmanship, and therefore a coating of water repellent substance called damp proof course (DPC) is used in buildings to function as a barrier against water capillary rise.

The following are the various sources of dampness in buildings: 

• Moisture rising from the ground due to capillary action 
• The action of rainwater 
• Penetration of rainwater from the top of the building 
• Condensation due to atmospheric moisture 
• Miscellaneous sources or causes such as poor drainage of a building site, imperfect orientation of a building, defective construction, and so on.

Use of Faulty Materials:

• Contact with vegetation 
• Contact with banked earth 
• Defective roofs and gutters 
• Defective window sills 
• Defective parapet wall 
• Rising moisture through walls and floors due to capillary action 
• The splashing of water on wall surfaces
• Leakage from the site, which can lead to waterlogging and, eventually, moisture in a building.
• Roof drainage issues include leakage via the roof and roof joints.

Dampness’s Effects on Buildings:

Dampness has a negative impact on the structure. The following are some of the most noticeable impacts of dampness:

• A moist structure is not only unhealthy for its people, but it also encourages mosquito breeding.
• Corrosion of metals used in the building’s construction is possible.
• The unattractive blotches appear on the ceilings and surfaces of the walls.
• In a damp environment, the degradation of wood occurs quickly owing to dry-rot.
• It causes plaster to weaken and crumble in a 1:1 ratio.
• It encourages the spread of termites.
• The walls may produce efflorescence, resulting in the disintegration of stones, bricks, tiles, and other materials, reducing the wall’s strength.
• The materials used to cover the floors have been severely harmed.
• Electric fittings deteriorate over time, posing a risk of short-circuiting.
• In a damp structure, residents live in an unhealthy environment.
• Efflorescence occurs on building surfaces, resulting in the disintegration of bricks, stones, tiles, and other materials, reducing the useful life of a structure.
• It causes paint to bleach, resulting in the creation of coloured patches on the walls and ceilings.
• It causes the plaster to weaken and crumble.
• Timber deteriorates when it comes into touch with water owing to bending, buckling, and rolling.
• Termites thrive in damp environments.
• Patches of the wall’s surface are impacted. On the walls can be observed. The point is turned off, and the colours fade.
• The dimensions of the timer-based building parts were altered. The wood could rot.

Dampness is caused by a variety of factors.

Dampness in a structure is a common issue. The following are the different causes of dampness in a structure: 

• Rising moisture from the earth 
• Action of rain 
• Exposed tops of walls 
• Condensation 
• Miscellaneous

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