A holistic survey of dampness in a six bedroom residential apartment

Abstract

s one of the most damaging failures that occur in buildings, dampness in all its forms affects\rboth old and modern types of buildings. As an important function, buildings should seek to prevent water penetrations and give envelop to their occupants. This study adopted a holistic approach to dampness surveying to identify and document the areas in a six bedroom residential\rbuilding severely affected by dampness. A case study approach which involves a three-stage protocol of damp investigation, thus visual inspection, non-destructive tests using a moisture meter\rand destructive testing was used in the study to identify and document areas in the building severely affected by dampness. The results from the visual investigation showed that dampness was\rseen on the external and internal walls of the building and was accompanied by symptoms such\ras damp patches in horizontal bands, blistering of paint, surface efflorescence, stains and in\rsome portions mould growth. A further investigation with the moisture meter showed that the\rproblem was very pronounced in the walls located in the western orientation. Also, destructive\rtests revealed that the dampness in the bathrooms and kitchen were due to plumbing leakages\rand rain water penetration respectively. Further research on affected buildings situated in different ground conditions is recommended. This study should serve as a platform for further\rstudies to be conducted on the building in order to trace the visible evidence back to the actual\rseat of the problem. In so doing, it should provide a platform for all stakeholders in the construction industry to come together to address this common but dangerous problem.