Dampness is one of the most common causes of building failure and it frequently entails expensive remedial work. Problems relating to dampness are complex and widespread, and they require a through understanding of building technology and materials. This book deals, first of all, with properties of the more common building materials, and then considers performance of the main building elements in relation to moisture control or exclusion. Condensation and rising damp are looked at in detail, and a chapter on diagnosis provides a handy checklist to the likely causes of the main problems of dampness. Throughout, the pros and cons of various remedial methods are examined.Although the book concentrates on current building materials and techniques, it also considers older methods and materials as an aid for rehabilitation work. The second edition has been substantially expanded with a new chapter on penetrating damp, sections on incompatibility of building materials and on heath implications, and a new set of references.