Humidity effect of pre war shop building / Shahrul Azuan Adnan

Humidity is the most prevalent cause of decay in historic buildings. Over a long period of time, the presence of moisture will erode, rot, corrode, and otherwise deteriorate aging building materials. Moisture may come from underground sources and wick up into buildings; it may enter through cracks in deteriorated exterior materials; or it may originate in the interior of the building and migrate through materials. Floods, hurricanes, water from fire fighting operations, or broken and leaking interior plumbing can also greatly accelerate the flow of water into historic buildings with catastrophic results. Historic buildings must, therefore, be protected both on the outside as well as on the inside from potentially harmful moisture. Exterior surfaces must be properly maintained to prevent water infiltration, and interiors must be monitored and inspected to ensure that condensation and humidity generated on the inside are properly ventilated, managed, or eliminated in the event of an emergency, building owners, managers, and architects should also be aware of temporary protective measures to reduce moisture damage or humidity effect.