Water seeps into a home from 5 sources:
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- Ground water: There are vast reserves of water underground, especially in coastal belts in India where the water table is very high. This water gets absorbed by the bricks and concrete used in the foundation and it slowly seeps into the home through capillary action. It leads to rising damp that affects the bottom of the walls in ground floors and basements
- Rainwater: Water seeps in from the roof due to absorption from surface and through tiny cracks. This usually leads to damp in the top part of walls and ceiling of the floor
- Water from indoor wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens: Bathrooms and kitchen come in constant contact with water. They also have numerous water lines running through the walls. Hence, these areas are highly susceptible to water seepage from the floors and walls. If the bathroom wall is tiled, then the water seepage will not be visible in the bathroom, but will show in adjacent walls in bedrooms, living rooms, etc.
- From improper window joints: During installation, the window frame needs to be set into the concrete wall without allowing small gaps, cracks or voids from developing. These spaces enable water to trickle in, creating water damage all around the windows.
- From bricks that have high-salt content: We often get bricks that have very high salt concentrations. When these bricks are used to build a wall, they the salts in the bricks react with atmospheric moisture and gases to cause salt-peter formation, leading to damp on the walls.