LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF BUILDING OCCUPANTS ON DAMPNESS IN WALLS OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN GHANA

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey of 5,800 buildings in four climatic zones of Ghana which sought to assess and document the level of knowledge of building occupants on the problem of dampness in their buildings. A quantitative approach to data analysis was employed, using percentages and mean score rankings of the factors studied. The results showed some existence of knowledge on the problem of dampness among the respondents. The results also showed that dampness is often seen on the walls of residential buildings in Ghana and its level of appearance varied from one climatic zone to the other. The results further showed that the symptoms associated with damp walls are ‘surface efflorescence just above skirting/floor’, ‘dampness at the base of walls up to 1.5m in horizontal band’, ‘stains, especially in horizontal band, noticeably damp in humid conditions’ and ‘mold growth (on cold surfaces, windows, etc.)’. The study acknowledges as a limitation the fact that most building occupants were reluctant to allow the researchers into their properties for fear of robbery. Despite this limitation, findings from this study create an awareness of how dampness as a problem is on the rise in Ghanaian residential buildings and this should lead to collective responsibility of stakeholders to find solutions to the problem.