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Constructions and related matters relevant to environmental health
Published in Stephen Battersby, Clay's Handbook of Environmental Health, 2023
John Bryson, Stephen Battersby
Rising dampness – This is where moisture rises up through the walls by capillary action from the sub-soil and is usually associated with the absence or failure of a damp proof course/membrane. Most materials used for the construction of walls will draw water from the ground and that is why it is necessary to provide an impervious barrier (the damp proof course) to prevent rising dampness affecting the structure and, especially, living space. Broken or damaged damp proof courses, particularly in older buildings where it may have been formed from brittle materials such as slates or dense engineering bricks, will allow moisture to pass through. Dampness can also by-pass a damp proof course by bridging caused by soil or render or debris in the cavity – where present. Rising dampness can also occur where there is a solid floor and the damp proof membrane fails to connect the damp proof course in the walls.
External masonry loadbearing walls
Published in Derek Worthing, Nigel Dann, Roger Heath, of Houses, 2021
Derek Worthing, Nigel Dann, Roger Heath
Modern damp proof courses are made from flexible materials and, if correctly laid, should prevent any damp from rising into the superstructure. It is also important to ensure that there is a good joint between the DPC in the wall and the Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) which is there to prevent damp rising through the floor. This is covered in more detail in Chapter 10. Modern materials for a DPC include bitumen felt, lead-cored bitumen felt and dense polythene (by far the most common).
Guidance on the common damp problems
Published in Ralph Burkinshaw, How to Investigate Damp, 2020
The term is defined in our glossary as follows: Rising damp occurs when moisture travels upwards against the forces of gravity, typically up a wall or through a floor, from its source below the ground.
Quantification of mold contamination in multi-level buildings using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index
Published in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 2018
Stephen Vesper, Jean M. Cox-Ganser, Larry Wymer, Ju-Hyeong Park
Building managers are sometimes called upon to investigate health complaints in the workplace. One of the possibilities to consider in such an investigation is dampness and mold growth. Exposure to damp, moldy buildings has previously been linked to respiratory health problems.[1,2] In addition, dampness in buildings has also been linked to other health effects, like tiredness and headaches.[3] Therefore, it would be of value for building managers to have a standardized metric for quantifying mold contamination.