Article | Moisture penetration in buildings and how it can be prevented

We discuss the causes and effects of moisture penetration, and how NCH Asia-Pacific can help you prevent it in your building.

What is moisture penetration?

Moisture penetration is caused when water enters a building from the outside through faulty rainwater protection equipment or infrastructure. It is common in buildings of all ages, especially in regions with varied climates. This article identifies the causes and effects of moisture penetration and highlights the solutions that NCH can offer to prevent this from happening at your workplace.

The main causes of moisture penetration

Moisture penetration can affect all levels of your workplace, from the ground to the roof. The three classifications of moisture penetration are:

1. Rising damp – this occurs when moisture from the ground is absorbed into the wall of the workplace. This is caused by excess groundwater, poor surface water drainage or even rainwater splashing from the ground onto a wall.

2. Penetrating damp (lateral damp) – this is the horizontal ingress of moisture into a wall. It tends to be visible especially after heavy rain and can be seen in isolated patches on the outside of the building. Penetrating damp is more common in coastal areas that have constant exposure to moisture and can affect any level of the building.

3. Condensation – tends to occur in poorly ventilated rooms where the air cannot move, edges and corners can become soft and appear with slight discoloration or mold. It is quite difficult to identify damp caused by condensation but it is essential to find the cause as it can be extremely costly if it is confused with rising or penetrating damp.

What are the effects?

With so many causes of moisture penetration, it can be difficult to prevent damp from affecting your workplace. If you hire a company to cure the building damp problem, it usually means that this has already had an impact on the workplace. Some of the more major effects include:

• Significant costs to the busines.
• Health implications to your staff, causing problems to respiratory systems and more.
• Visible impacts on the workplace, such as discoloration and disintegration.
• Negative impact on workforce morale and the reputation of a company.

Because of this, it is essential to monitor moisture penetration before it gets out of control and the costs mount up.

How NCH Sealants and Coatings range can prevent this

NCH Asia-Pacific offers a wide range of sealants and coatings to combat workplace moisture penetration from sealing holes in roofs to recoating floors. Our solutions are extremely versatile and can be used on concrete, bricks, mortar, cement, stone, and tiling. Click here to find out more about our sealing and coating range.