Moisture Open & Moisture Closed
Good retrofit design is about balancing the motivations, risks and solutions appropriate to each property. The designer has an important role in the process, to identify the right products to use and how they are best installed.
Understanding the sources of moisture, and whether a building has ‘moisture open’ or ‘moisture closed’ construction is key to a good retrofit. Unintended consequences will often result from a failure to consider the risks of moisture and where it is likely to form.
The best technical retrofit solutions seek to include insulation measures and ventilation systems in tandem. Both are critical to the way buildings manage moisture in order to keep the fabric dry and the internal environment healthy.
There are three main risks that can result from retrofit measures:
Upgrading existing thermal elements will change the balance of heat gains and losses. With less heat escaping to the outside, the retained building fabric may now be colder as a result, placing it at greater risk of decay or deterioration, particularly with timber.
A failure to anticipate where warm air will condense can lead to interstitial condensation becoming trapped with the construction layers.
A warmer internal environment not adequately ventilated will suffer with high humidity, poor air quality and condensation risk. This can cause interior decay and deterioration of finishes.
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Retrofit Design for Moisture Open & Moisture Closed Constructions
