By Raymond Foulkes
Humid air coming into contact with a cold impervious surface such as a typical waterproof membrane (tanking system) can cause liquid water to run down and create puddles on the floor. More absorbent materials such as fabrics and plasterboard may simply hold the moisture and provide an environment for mould and other microorganisms to grow.
If the liquid water is particularly voluminous, its damage is obvious, ruined building materials, décor, as well as carpets, furniture and treasures possessions and is visibly damaged. Black mould growing up walls, - often higher in the corners where the temperature is lower and the air circulation poorer is a clear visible sign that condensation is taking place.
More insidious are the microscopic processes. Many species of mould and bacteria can grow in moist conditions, invisible to the naked eye. These organisms and accelerate the destruction of paper and fabrics, so valuable books artwork documents and clothing can be ruined without even visible mould growth.
These same organisms are bad for our health, some can be pathogenic, others, particularly those that give off microscopic spores cause allergic reactions, then provide food for microscopic creatures (dust-mites) whos faecal pellets are so small they remain air-borne and we breathe them in, causing more allergic reactions and ill health.
And the damage is not limited to the cellar or the basement. Much of the air in upper levels of a house will actually come from the basement or cellar or crawl space. It rises by convection and brings with it whatever is airborne - fungal spores, dust mites, bacteria, all very bad for our health.
So what can we do to avoid the condensation problems that are often associated with cellar tanking? That will be the subject matter of my next article, meanwhile to find out more information click the link, cellar tanking
| Raymond Foulkes, the author of this article has served for several years as the elected Technical officer of the British Structural Waterproofing Association (BSWA), in this capacity he was the primary author of the BSWA design guide 'A Guide to Waterproofing Existing Basements' a publication that has be come the benchmark text for the industry. He offers consultancy / expert witness work as well as a full contracting service see http://www.polycrete.co.uk and a unique basement waterproofing system for DIY basement waterproofing. In the mid 1990's Ray Foulkes pioneered the use of bespoke sump and pump systems together with proprietary underfloor perforated drainage channels for basement waterproofing, a method that has now become commonplace throughout the industry. |
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