EN 13788 Hygrothermal Performance of Structural Elements - Critical Surface Moisture and Internal Surface Temperature Test to Prevent Intermediate Condensation

EUROLAB, with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, provides precise and fast testing services within the scope of EN 13788 testing. Gives the calculation method for the interior surface temperature at which mold growth is likely under a building component or structural element, given the interior temperature and relative humidity. The method can also be used to assess the risk of other interior surface condensation problems.

Evaluation of the risk of interstitial condensation due to water vapor diffusion. The method used does not take into account a number of important physical phenomena, including:

• Change of material properties with moisture content;
• Capillary absorption and liquid moisture transfer within materials;
• Air movement from cavities or air gaps from inside the building to the component;
• Hygroscopic moisture capacity of materials.

The time it takes for water from any source to dry in a layer between two layers of high vapor resistance and the risk of interstitial condensation occurring elsewhere in the component during the drying process.

Moisture transfer is a very complex process, and knowledge of moisture transfer mechanisms, material properties, initial conditions, and boundary conditions is often limited. Therefore, this International Standard lays down simplified calculation methods that assume moisture transport is by vapor diffusion only and use monthly climate data.

The standardization of these calculation methods does not exclude the use of more advanced methods. If other sources of moisture, such as rain penetration or convection, are negligible, calculations will normally lead to designs on the safe side, and if a construction fails a certain design criterion according to this procedure, more accurate methods may be used.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with EN 13788 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.