Evaluation strategy of finishing materials contribution to the hygroscopic inertia of a room

Abstract

The hygroscopic behavior of the walls and ceiling finishing materials, as well as furniture and textiles inside the dwellings, defines their hygroscopic inertia, which can be an essential parameter for the control of surface condensation. We believe that there should be a way of predicting the level of expected hygroscopic inertia of a room based on the description of its inside finishing materials. It should be a simple method that could encourage practitioners to include this concept as a topic for the selection of inside materials. But at the same time it should have a. strong scientific base to make its results trustworthy. A strategy for the evaluation of finishing materials contribution to the hygroscopic inertia of a room has been studied. The results of that study will be presented. An experimental prototype developed as a tool for the comparison of the impact of materials on the inside relative humidity variation is also introduced.