Overview

This course provides a good overview of the various causes of undesired high humidity and moisture intrusion within building structures, and the methods and technology used to analyze such conditions. Recommending or designing an engineered solution to such problems requires a fundamental understanding of their root cause.

Field engineers and design engineers who are involved with forensic engineering investigations, environmental controls, or the analysis of indoor air quality will benefit from this course. Subject matter covered within the course include a general understanding of: psychrometrics (the interrelationship between temperature, relative humidity, dew point); analysis of heating and air conditioning equipment with regard to their introduction or removal of moisture; moisture and humidity measurement technology; mold & mildew causation (fungal growth); certain elements of building construction; typical sources of moisture intrusion; and the fundamental approach used in conducting a comprehensive engineering analysis of undesired moisture causation within buildings.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of eighteen (18) questions at the end of the course to obtain PDH credits.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

• An introduction to psychrometrics
• Desired ranges of humidity and moisture content within a building structure
• Fundamentals of humidity control in buildings
• Contributing factors to high levels of moisture and humidity in a building
• Mold & mildew causation
• Analytical equipment used to measure high levels of moisture and humidity
• A comprehensive approach to analyzing a high humidity or moisture problem
• Typical sources of excessive moisture or humidity in a building