Defects in existing

buildings
Most buildings are old
Most buildings have
defects
Royal
Agricultural
College
 Topics covered

Defects due to water damage

Defects due to biological agents
Defects due to mechanical damage

Royal
Agricultural
College
 Why is water a problem?

Water is everywhere, you cannot

keep it out
Universal solvent
Water is required for biological
activity
Water expands when it freezes

Royal
Agricultural
College
 Rust,
corrosion
Black Spot Mould damage

Dissolving of
materials

Dry rot fungal damage

Royal
Agricultural
Damage to finishes College
Frost damage
 Rising damp
(ground water)
Penetrating
damp (rain)
Wet services
(leaks)
Condensation
(humidity/dew
point)

Royal
Agricultural
College
 Rising damp: remedial work
Solutions to rising
damp problems:
Internal tanking, placing
an impervious layer
between the wet wall and
the interior.
Inject a chemical DPC
but these can be
ineffective in some
situations
Insert porous tubes, open
to the outside to ventilate
the interior of the wall
Cut out a course of bricks
and insert a full DPC. Royal
Expensive and disruptive. Agricultural
But it works College
 Cavity wall: rain
Preventing exclusion

penetrating damp
Cavity construction: the
cavity is there to drain
away penetrating water.
Impermeable rain shield
wall covering, such as
metal or plastic sheeting rain shield
Complete DPC systems often glass
or sheet
around all sides of all metal
openings
Good detailing Royal
Agricultural
Good maintenance College
 Remedial work
Overcoat
Fix any damage to soaks up rain
roofs and openings.
Apply a breathable
render, the over coat
principle
DONT apply
waterproof paints or
coatings. This is will
not work

Moisture Royal
dries out in Agricultural
College
dry periods
 Water damage from services

Many problems caused by water are due to

leaks from water and central heating pipes
Check that what appears to be a leak in a cold
pipe or tank is not in fact condensation on the
outside of a perfectly sound fitting.
Cold water

Cold tank

Royal
Condensation drips Agricultural
College
 Condensation
The air holds water vapour as a dry gas.
The quantity it can hold depends on the air
temperature.
When the maximum amount is held for the
prevailing temperature, the air is saturated
(100% relative humidity).
The temperature at which air becomes saturated
by the amount of water it holds is called the dew
point
If further water vapour is added to saturated air,
or if the temperature falls, the excess water
vapour condenses out as liquid water.
Royal
Agricultural
College
 Surface condensation
Surface condensation occurs when the
temperature of an internal surface falls
below the local dew point temperature.
Liquid water condenses out on the surface.
Risk of surface condensation is high when
internal temperatures drop
water vapour increases (in a shower room or
kitchen during cooking)

Royal
Agricultural
College
 Boundary layer of still air
The few mm of air adjacent
to the surface is held still
by friction and acts as an
insulating layer.

This is more pronounced

on the internal surface
than on the external,
where wind blows the
boundary layer away

Outside Inside Royal

Agricultural
College
 Temperature gradient
through a wall

20 C in
body of
room

10 C on surface

5 C outside Air temp drops

sharply in
boundary layer
on a cold wall
Royal
Outside
Inside Agricultural
College
 Low dew point scenario
Air is holding only a small amount of
water (low relative humidity) and so the
dew point is low, say 4 C

20 C inside air

10 C on surface

5 C outside

Royal
Outside Inside Agricultural
College
 Low dew point scenario
Air is holding only a small amount of
water (low relative humidity) and so the
dew point is low, say 4 C

20 C inside air

10 C on surface
Dew point 4C
5 C outside
Low risk of surface
condensation
Royal
Outside Inside Agricultural
College
 High dew point scenario
Air is holding a large amount of water
(high relative humidity) and so the dew
point is high, say 12 C

20 C inside air

10 C on surface

5 C outside

Royal
Agricultural
Outside Inside College
 High dew point scenario
Air is holding a large amount of water
(high relative humidity) and so the dew
point is high, say 12 C

20 C inside air
Dew point 12C
10 C on surface

5 C outside
High risk of surface
condensation
Royal
Agricultural
Outside Inside College
 Remedies for surface
condensation
Reducing water vapour content in the
internal air
Ventilation
Cut down on water generating activities
Air conditioning
Keeping surfaces warm (i.e above the
dew point temperature), but theres a
problem Royal
Agricultural
College
Internal insulation can cause
interstitial condensation
Internal insulation

20 C inside air
Thermal gradient temp
through wall

5 C Inside
outside air dew point 12C
temp

Outside
dew point Royal
Agricultural
4C College
 Internal insulation can cause
interstitial condensation
Internal insulation

20 C inside air
Thermal gradient temp
through wall
Dew point
gradient
5 C Inside
outside air dew point 12C
temp

Outside
dew point Royal
Agricultural
4C College
 Internal insulation can cause
interstitial condensation
Internal insulation

20 C inside air
Thermal gradient temp
through wall
Dew point
gradient
5 C Inside
outside air dew point 12C
temp
Interstitial
Outside condensation
dew point could occur in Royal
Agricultural
4C this zone College
 Solution: Vapour barrier on
warm side of insulation
20 C inside air
temp

Dew point 12C

5 C
outside air
temp
Layer
Dew point 4C impermeable to
water vapour
added on warm
side: plastic or Royal
aluminium foil Agricultural
College
 Internal insulation can cause
other unexpected problems
20 C inside
During freezing weather air temp
Temperature
gradient without
insulation

Wall surface
temp 2C
0
External air
Temp -4C

Royal
Agricultural
College
 Internal insulation can cause
other unexpected problems
20 C inside
During freezing weather air temp
Temperature
gradient without
insulation
Temperature gradient
with insulation
Wall surface
temp 2C
0
External air
Temp -4C

Royal
Agricultural
College
 Internal insulation can cause
other unexpected problems
20 C inside
During freezing weather air temp
Temperature
gradient without
insulation
Temperature gradient
with insulation
Wall surface
temp 2C
0
External air
Temp -4C

Royal
The wall is below freezing. Agricultural
College
If it is wet, it could break
 Summary

Liquid water is the damaging agent

Determining the source of liquid
water is vital to avoid ineffective
remedial action
The most difficult problems usually
result from uncontrolled
condensation

Royal
Agricultural
College