Moisture in buildings (T3) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is moisture?

A
Moisture = H2O
Gas= water vapour
Liquid = liquid water 
Solid = ice
Having an increasing amount of energy
They can all cause problems in buildings
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2
Q

Water vapour

A
  • invisible, odourless gas
  • small amount in the air at all times
  • humidity is a function of water vapour content
  • relative humidity is a function of the maximum possible vapour content at that temperature
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3
Q

Dust mites

A
  • feed on organic detritus such as flakes of shed human skin and flourish in stable humid environments. The mites faeces and exoskeleton are known allergens.
  • increase in ashma
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4
Q

Why is water wet?

A
  • Cohesion

- can stick to other surfaces = adhesion

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5
Q

freeze-thraw

A

can happen in bricks = spalling

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6
Q

Moisture movement and storage

A
  • through convection = openings

- infiltration = can get between the layers which you don’t want

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7
Q

movement through porous materials

A
  • vapour diffusion

- liquid water flow

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8
Q

moisture stoarge

A

Water molcules find there way into the brick and condense

High humidity means that more water is stored

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9
Q

moisture buffering

A

movement and storage
Relative humidity increase when the person goes to bed
Using rammed earth walls wouldn’t change the relative humidity was dramtically
Also passive air conditioning (rammed earth walls)

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10
Q

Risk ( probability that something will happen mulitplied with severe consequences)

A
  • Caused by furture climate, inside vapour release, ventilation habits, air pressure differences, design weakness and workship
  • Randomness leads to damage
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11
Q

Moisture issues

A
  • Derive from inadequate heating/ventilation, construction failure or user abuse
  • Epidemiological evidence suggests that mould infestation in buildings can cause serious health implications for occupants
  • Growth limit curves exist for generic mould categories that defines the minimum combination of temperature and relative humidity required to sustain growth on indoor building surfaces
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12
Q

EN ISO 13788-2012

A
  • gives simplified calculation methods for the assessment of the risk of interstitial condensation due to water vapour diffusion
  • method used assumes built-in water has died out and does not take into account of a number of important physical phenomena
    -variation of material properties with moisture content
    -capillary suction and liquid moisture transfer within materials
    -air movement through cracks or within air spaces
    -hygroscopic moisture capacity of materials
    Method is only applicable only to structures where there effects are negligible
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13
Q

Soucres of Error

A
  1. Thermal conductivity depends on moisture content. This will change the temperature distribution and affect the amount of condensation/drying.
  2. The use of constant material properties is an approximation.
  3. Liquid moisture transfer occurs in many materials; this may change the moisture distribution.
  4. Air movements through may change the moisture distribution.
  5. The real boundary conditions are not constant over a month.
  6. Most materials are hygroscopic and can absorb water vapour.
  7. One‐dimensional moisture transfer is assumed.
  8. The effects of solar and long‐wave radiation are neglected.
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14
Q

rain

A

Rain is the largest external source

Both on the roof and façade

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15
Q

Relative humidity

A

High relative humidity (RH)

Fog

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16
Q

Insolation

A

Insolation or solar radiation

Causes drying of a wall and inward moisture transport

17
Q

High temperatures

A

High temperature

Low relative humidity

18
Q

Cyclical nature of weather

A

Wetting periods are varied with drying
Influence of wind –– rushes along your building increases exchange with heat and moisture between the building and surrounding – area with a lot of wind = wind would affect the building needs to be considered

19
Q

Rising damp

A

Rising damp from the soil via the foundation – normally not a problem – brick is like a sponge

  • Particularly with concrete and brickwork
  • First year has a higher water content so people are advised not to put decorations
20
Q

Bathroom

A
  • Shower = 0.5kg of moisture
  • Bath = 0.5kg of moisture
  • Depend on how long you are in the shower for
21
Q

Kitchen

A
  • Cooking = 2 litre

- Dishes = 0.5 litre

22
Q

People, plants and pets

A
  • Each person 1.25 litres per day

- Pet and plants – 0.5-2 litres per day = depending on size

23
Q

HVAC

A
  • Heating
  • Ventilation
  • Air conditioning
24
Q

Material properties

A
  • Hydrophilic (want to take up water) and hydrophobic (want to repel water)
  • Vapour open and vapour tight
  • Long-time water has to travel through a material (because it is resisting) = vapour tight
  • If water can go through the material with no problems then it is vapour open
  • Material like mineral rock are vapour open but if you make thicker materials the materials can be vapour tight
25
Q

Orientation of materials

A
  • Vertically
  • Moisture/rain goes down the material
  • Overlapping
  • Slight overlap = rain cannot go underneath it = has to be right otherwise moisture can get in (especially roof tiles)
26
Q

Redirecting moisture

A
  • Keeping water away from the structure
  • Choice of material
  • Overhang
  • Guttering
  • Roof is basic way of protecting your structure
27
Q

Detailing

A
  • Water drips = water has can stick on materials
  • Roof layout = getting the overlap right
  • Boards = protects rain from coming under the roof
  • Guttering = moves the water on a roof = get rid of rain
28
Q

Buffering moisture

A
  • Use the year when water is exiting the building
  • Buffering materials
  • Buffer zones = wood = can use less insulation
29
Q

Extracting moisture

A
  • Ventilation
  • Natural = windows = stack effect
  • Mechanical = extractor fan = get fresh air in
  • Air conditioning = condenses moisture = uses a lot of energy
30
Q

General Requirements for a building

A
  • Differences between rooms
  • Shower
  • Kitchen
  • Living room
  • Bedroom
  • Storage
  • Diurnal cycle