Masonry Magazine July 2007 Page. 36
Moisture Management
By Kami Farahmandpour, PE, RRC, RWC, CCS, CCCA; and Joshua J. Summers, SE, PE
Building Technology Consultants PC
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AIR BARRIERS, VAPOR RETARDERS AND WEATHER-RESISTIVE BARRIERS: Are They All the Same?
Proper moisture control in the exterior envelope of buildings primarily depends on controlling moisture flow in vapor form, and preventing moisture penetration in liquid form. While complete elimination of moisture condensation within wall assemblies under all climatic conditions may be difficult, the goal of a designer should be to prevent moisture accumulation, and to ensure that short-term exposure to moisture does not affect wall components adversely. Since the quantity of liquid moisture penetrating through the exterior wall deficiencies can be significantly larger than moisture condensation, the primary goal for building envelope design is to prevent moisture penetration through the exterior surface or the back-up materials.
34 Masonry
July 2007 www.masoncontractors.org
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