Almost all buildings will experience some type of water intrusion or moisture intrusion at some point. Moisture can enter the home in many different forms, for example, a leak in the roof, a leaky window or door, taking showers, home appliances and even basements can allow for excess moisture to enter your indoors home environment. Excessive dampness is not only a problem by itself, but also a contributor to several potentially problematic exposures such as fungal growth or bacteria. It is important to note that some degree of moisture is necessary in an indoor environment (the appropriate amount of relative humidity to have in a building is 30-50%).
A relative humidity of under 30% can lead to increased adverse health symptoms, but a relative humidity of over 50% can encourage microbiological growth which can also lead to adverse health symptoms. At 60% relative humidity, fungal growth is likely to occur. When excessive moisture is present, the structural integrity of the building may also be compromised.
There are many paths moisture can take to enter a building, such as leaking through openings in walls, floors, condensation, or moisture vapor convected through wall openings. In order to fix these problem, all leaks bringing free water into the structure must be blocked and corrected. In most circumstances, the location of the problem, the source of the moisture and the path of the moisture are all close together and easily identified; however, other water intrusion or moisture intrusion problems may be less obvious. When the moisture source and path are not apparent, a significant investigation may be required.
In the coastal regions of the southeast, HVAC systems pose one of the largest moisture intrusion and water intrusion problems in many homes and businesses. The hot humid air during the summer months in this part of the country cause tremendous amounts of condensation when introduced to the cool, dry air of an air conditioning system. All precautionary measures must be made to ensure that the hot humid air is not allowed to clash with the cool dry air! All ductwork, supply lines and connections must be well insulated. Whenever new air conditioning units are installed, they must be properly sized and positioned so the condensation formed is properly drained away.
Regardless of the types of water intrusion or moisture intrusion issues that may arise in your home or business, Pro Environmental Services has the qualified technicians to locate the intrusion areas, correct them and make all necessary repairs to return your property to the pre-existing condition.
