Dampness in buildings

Abstract

The definition of damp as found in the oxford dictionary is: 'Moisture in air, on surface, are diffused through solid'. Dampness is a factor that has a great effect on the running and proper function of a building. In fact unwanted dampness, or the presence of moisture in the wrong places, besides being bad for the health of the occupants, may cause serious damage to furnishings and other decorations, thus leading :to building failures. Unfortunately, dampness is generally noticed only when it appears internally. It is important to note that dampness is one of the most local building defects and sometimes one of the most difficult faults to trace ·and diagnose. It is a well known fact that locally, clients and property developers do not invest enough money to protect their buildings from dampness. Hence besides being more costly in the long run, this can lead to a very serious building failure which sometimes practically very difficult to cure (reference should be made to chapter 4 which deals with the defects and treatment of dampness).