WAYS TO PREVENT WALL DAMPNESS FROM DAMAGING THE STRUCTURE AND HEALTH OF THE OCCUPANTS.

Do you know that dampness in building may occur due to bad design, faulty construction and use of poor quality of materials? Dampness not only affects the life of the building but also creates unhygienic conditions of living. The treatment given to prevent leakage of water from roof or terrace is generally termed as water proofing whereas the treatment given to keep the walls, floors and foundation is termed as damp proofing.

Defects Caused by Dampness in Building

The various defects caused by dampness to building may be summarized as under,eg

*It causes efflorescence which may ultimately result in disintegration of blocks, bricks, stones, tiles etc.

*It may result in softening and crumbling of plaster.

*It may cause bleaching and flaking of paint with the formation of coloured patches.

*It may result in the warping, buckling and rotting of door frames

*It may lead to the corrosion of metals.

*It may cause deterioration to electrical fittings.

*It promotes growth of termites.

*It creates unhealthy living conditions for the occupants.

*Causes of Dampness in Buildings

Absorption of moisture by the building materials is one of the chief causes of dampness. On account of granular nature of materials, moisture finds an easy access through the voids and this aided by capillary action assists the moisture to travel in different directions. Thus, either on account of faulty design of structure or bad workmanship or by use of defective structures or by use of defective materials, moisture may find its way on the interior of the building either through the wall, floor or roof.

Sources of Dampness in Building

The important sources of dampness may be summarized as below:

*Dampness rising through the foundation walls

*Moisture from wet ground may rise well above the ground level on account of capillary action.

*Splashing rain water which rebounds after hitting the wall surface may also cause dampness.

*Penetration of rain water through unprotected tops of walls, parapet, compound walls, etc may cause dampness.

*In case of sloped roofs, rain water may percolate through defective roof covering. *In addition faulty eaves course and eave or valley gutters may allow the rain water to descend through the top supporting wall and cause dampness.

*In case of flat roofs, inadequate roof slopes, improper rainwater pipe connections, and defective junction between roof slab and parapet wall may prove to be the source of dampness.

Following methods are generally adopted to prevent the defect of dampness in a structure:

*Membrane damp proofing

*Integral damp proofing

*Surface treatment

1. Membrane Damp Proofing

This consists in providing layers of membrane of water repellant material between the source of dampness and the part of the structure adjacent to it. This type of layer is commonly known as damp proof course (DPC) and it may comprise of materials like bituminous felts, mastic, asphalt, nylons or polythene sheets, etc. Depending upon the source of dampness, DPC may be provided horizontally or vertically in floors, walls, etc. Provision of DPC in basement/foundation is normally termed as tanking. General principles to be observed while laying damp proof course are:

*The DPC should cover full thickness of walls excluding rendering.

*The mortar bed upon which the DPC is to be laid should be made level, even and free from projections. 

*Uneven base is likely to cause damage to DPC.

*When a horizontal DPC is to be continued up a vertical face a cement concrete fillet 75mm in radius should be provided at the junction prior to the treatment.

*Each DPC should be placed in correct relation to other DPC so as to ensure complete and continuous barrier to the passage of water from floors, walls or roof.

2. Integral Damp Proofing

This is the best and easiest methods and this is the method PROSEAL is selling to its customers, this method done by adding certain water proofing admixtures with the concrete mix to increase its impermeability. Such admixtures are available in our store in powdered as well as in liquid forms. These admixtures help to fill the voids in concrete and make it waterproof. The quantity of water proofing compounds to be added to cement depends upon manufacturers’ recommendations, so it's highly advised to adhere to manufacturer guide. In general, one kg of water proofing admixture that is added to mortar or concrete will never waterproof anything, there is always a rule of thumb.

3. Surface Treatment

As described earlier, the moisture finds its way through the pores of materials used in finishing. In order to check the ingress of the moisture into the pores, they must be filled up. Surface treatment consists in filling up the pores of the surfaces subjected to dampness. The use of PROSEAL Damp Cure is proven to be effective in protecting the building against the ravages of damp. PROSEAL Damp Cure is found to serve the purpose of preventing dampness in walls. 

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