Precautions to Prevent Dampness

The subsequent precautions should be taken to avoid the dampness in buildings, before applying the several techniques and methods defines later:

(a)        The site should be situated on a high ground and well drained soil to safeguard against foundation dampness. It should be ensured in which the water level is at least 3 meters below the surface of ground or lowest point even in the wet season. For the better drainage, the ground surface surrounding the building should also slope away from the structure or house.

(b)       All the exposed walls should be of enough thickness to safeguard against rain penetration. If walls are of bricks and they should be made of at least 30 cm thickness.

(c)        Bricks of superior quality, that is free from defects like as cracks, flaws, lump of lime stones, etc. should be used. They should not absorb water more than 1/8 of their own weight while soaked within water for 24 hours.

(d)       Good quality cement mortar (1 cement: 3 sand) should be used to generates a definite pattern and perfect bond within building units by the construction work. This is necessary to avoid the creation of cavities and occurrence of differential settlement, because of inadequate bonding of units.

(e)        Cornices and string courses should be given. Window sills, coping of plinth and string courses should be sloped on top and throated on the underside to throw rain water away from the walls.

(f)        All the exposed surfaces like tops of walls, compound walls and etc. should be covered along with waterproofing cement plaster (i.e. 1 cement : 3 sand + water proofing compound).

(g)       Hollow walls (that is cavity walls) are more reliable than solid walls in avoiding dampness and therefore the cavity wall construction should be adopted wherever probable.