Few things can wreak havoc on indoor air quality quite like moisture, especially during the raining seasons when water vapor is not effectively removed from your property. This increases the risks of mold, condensation and an increase in dust mites.
Formation of this can also affect our health.
Where Does Moisture and Water Vapor Come From?
You may be surprised to learn that people are the main culprits when it comes to water vapor and moisture in a home. Despite the sheer volume of environmental water vapor that penetrates the walls of a house, even in a hot and humid climate, it’s far less than the amount of moisture we produce from activities such as breathing, showering and cooking.
On the average a family of four produces about 10 to 14 liters of water vapor per day, so if you think opening a window will do the trick, if will take more than that. In a hot and humid climate such as Nigeria, cooling by natural ventilation may be counterproductive and in most cases brings even moisture into the property. The process in which this should be removed is an active De-humidification process. Other strategies to bare in mind when in the construction stages of your property is shading above windows.
So How Can you Spot Water Vapor Damages?
There are three types of moisture intrusion that you should know about.
- Formation of mold or condensation on the interior surface of your walls and windows. You may notice water drops forming along the edge of the glass on your window or streaks of mold forming at the corner where your wall and ceiling meet. You may also feel that the room is muggy or humid. You may even smell mildew. All of these are bad signs.
- Widespread condensation forming inside your walls, roofs or slabs where you can’t see it. This is probably the hardest phenomenon to spot as a homeowner.
- Concentrated condensation at one particular point in your wall, roof or slab assembly. You may be able to spot localized areas in your assembly that are visibly wet. Keep in mind that a wet spot is more often linked to plumbing issues than air-tightness.
There are 2 of various ways we advise one to tackle the issues
- Purchase a dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is generally a household appliance which reduces the level of humidity in the air, usually for health or comfort reasons, or to eliminate musty odour. Large dehumidifiers are also used in commercial buildings such as indoor ice rinks to control the humidity level. By their operation, dehumidifiers extract water from the conditioned air. This collected water usually called condensate is not normally used for drinking, and is often discarded. Some designs, such as the ionic membrane dehumidifier, dispose of excess water in a vapor rather than liquid form. The energy efficiency of dehumidifiers can vary widely.
- Source the advice of a professional
When looking for the right professional, it’s essential to make sure that the breadth of his or her knowledge in building science covers envelope design and moisture management design. Ideally, this professional also has experience in ventilation system design.