In a recent article published in the magazine Today's Facility Manager, Doug Garrett talks about the importance of understanding some of the basics related to moisture problems. Moisture problems are very hard to identify and to decide on a way to solve those problems.

A big question that we here from our customers and that faces almost every homeowner is “Why do I need to worry about moisture?” There are some reasons that seem obvious, but others are not as apparent. Property damage is the most costly for owners. Also, according to this article,

“Moisture is a major cause of damage to buildings, and it typically leads the pack as a cause for facility repair costs. Moisture is also a major cause of occupant comfort complaints. High relative humidity makes people uncomfortable, and the first response is often to turn the thermostat to a cooler temperature. If the relative humidity is too high, this leads to mold growth, which is another leading cause of indoor air quality (IAQ) complaints.”

According to the article moisture enters and affects a building on four different ways. Here are the four ways in order of the amount of moisture that will find its way into the home:

• Air movement - this occurs via heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as from drafts.
• Bulk or liquid - this occurs when water leaks in the roof, walls, or windows.
• Capillary - water is absorbed into, or through, wood or concrete into the facility.
• Diffusion - this is the ability of water vapor in the gas state to move through seemingly solid, but vapor permeable, building materials such as drywall.

The article goes deeper into some of the intricacies of moisture management. For more information, we encourage you to check out the full article on the magazine’s web site.