Evaluating Condensation Resistance for the Design of Wall Assemblies
Abstract
This paper explores how practitioners can approximate the condensation resistance of wall assemblies for residential buildings during the design phase, allowing identification of details where more comprehensive analysis is warranted.
The focus of the paper is to outline a methodology which may be used to evaluate the condensation resistance of composite wall assemblies for any mild or cold climate. To achieve this, a method to determine appropriate design indoor moisture levels (indoor humidity) must first be outlined since assumptions about the indoor humidity are critical to the evaluation of condensation resistance. In practice, this can be as simple as specifying the same design criteria for all residential assemblies. Additional background information is presented to provide an appreciation of the concepts upon which these methods are based.
