Moisture Protection and Thermal Insulation Flashcards
Air Barrier
Controls movement of air into and out of a building (infiltration and exfiltration)
Capillary Action
The pulling of water through a small orifice or fibrous material by the adhesive force between the water and the material.
Coefficient of Heat Transmission
The overall rate of heat flow.
Conductance
The amount of heat loss through a material of any thickness.
Conductivity
The amount of conductance for 1” of material.
Dampproofing
The control of moisture that is not under hydrostatic pressure.
Dampproofing can apply to water-repellent coatings on concrete, masonry, and wood walls above grade, but in its most typical use the term describes the protection of slabs and foundation walls below grade that are subject to continuous exposure to moisture.
Permeance
A measure of a material’s resistance to water-vapor transmission, expressed in perms.
Unit [perm]
Resistance
The amount of time it takes a certain amount of heat to pass through a material.
Vapor Barrier
Thin sheet material, renerally plastic, designed to prevent water vapor from passing through it.
Vapor Barrier:
Cold Climates
Prevents movement of water vapor OUT of a building.
Vapor Barrier
Hot-HumidClimates
Prevents movement of water vapor INTO a building.
Vapor Retarder
A material used to slow the transmission of water vapor between spaces.
Vapor retarders are not themselves insulation, but they play an important role in the effectiveness of other insulating materials.
Waterproofed Wall & Slab
Waterproofing
The control of moisture and water that is subject to hydrostatic pressure.
Geotextile
A synthetic cloth used beneath the surface of the ground to stabilize soil or promote drainage.
