The most important factor to make the building long life is to maintain it to be dry or free from moisture traveling through walls roofs, or floors. Dampness is the presence of hygroscopic or gravitational moisture. Dampness not only reduces the strength of the structural components but also gives rise to unhygienic conditions. So, in the building design, damp prevention is one of the important factors to be considered, and every building Should be damp proof. So, “damp-proofing” or “damp proof courses (DPC)” is a prevention method applied in buildings walls and floors to the entry of moisture in the building, it should be a perfect design.
Causes of Dampness in buildings
Followings are the main causes of dampness in building:
Moisture rising from the ground to the walls
Rain travel from wall tops
Rain beating against external walls
Condensation
Miscellaneous causes
1. Moisture rising from the ground to the walls
If the foundation soil on which substructure is is embedded is previous, moisture slowly and constantly travels through the structures founded on the soil. There is also a lot of moisture present in the impervious soils. By the capillary action, this moisture may rise into the floor through the wall. This process of rising groundwater I will also so slowly result in moisture entry into the building.
2. Rain travel from wall tops
If the top of the wall is not protected from water penetration, rainwater enters the wall and will travel down. If the roofs of the building is is not a leakage-proof, that may cause water to enter.
3. Rain beating against external walls
The external faces of the world are not treated properly, moisture main enters the wall, causing dampness in the anterior. Sometimes water may accumulate on balconies and chhajja because of the not proper outward slope, enter the walls through their junction. This type of moisture travel can deteriorate paintings and interior decoration of the wall.
4. Condensation
Due to much decrease in atmospheric temperature, there is a condensation of atmospheric moisture that causes deposition of water on the walls, floors, and ceilings. This moisture may cause dampness.
5. Miscellaneous causes
Following are the other causes of moisture enter:
- Poor drainage at the building site.
- In the perfect orientation of building; less entry of sunlight, heavy showers may remain damp.
- Imperfect roof slope: flat slope may cause more water accumulation.
- Defective construction: in perfect wall jointings, joints in roofs, defective throating, etc.
- Absorption of water from defective rainwater pipes.
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