Preventing moisture and mold damage

There are many factors behind moisture and mold damage in buildings. Not all of them are due to design or construction errors. Building maintenance and upkeep play a major role in preventing damage.

In the construction industry, a lot of research has been done, guidelines have been drawn up and methods have been developed to prevent and repair moisture and mold damage. Improvements have been made, but there is still work to be done. The key to combating moisture problems is that

entrants to the field are trained
the plans are drawn up in such a way that moisture is removed from the structures and that the structures can be implemented dry
are built with high quality according to the plans and water is prevented from entering the structures
adequate drying of the structures is ensured
the building is used and maintained in such a way that moisture does not accumulate in the structures even during use

Moisture control during construction

In recent years, the construction industry has invested in development activities and the quality of construction. Moisture is also better managed in construction.

An increasing number of wet rooms are built using precisely tested and certified products, systems and methods. The construction sites are operated according to moisture management plans that cover the various stages of construction. All of this requires that the waterproofing work be done by qualified professionals.

Clients play a key role in preventing moisture problems. The client is responsible for ensuring that savings are not made in the wrong place and that only competent and reliable parties are selected as designers and contractors. Decisions made during the design phase affect how structures function in terms of moisture, how fault-tolerant they are, and how they take into account repairability and maintainability.

Moisture management during use

Not all moisture problems in real estate are caused by design or construction errors. Real estate also wears out and needs to be taken care of. A significant part of the problems is due to lack of care or improper maintenance. Structures and equipment must be monitored, maintained and renewed if necessary.

With climate change, weather conditions are testing buildings even harder. Sharp temperatures, mild and wet winters, and heavy slanting rain are becoming more common, which increases the moisture load on buildings. At the same time, improving the energy efficiency of buildings has changed the moisture-technical performance of structures and weakens their fault tolerance.

Moisture management is therefore even more important throughout the entire construction chain, from design to construction and all the way to maintenance and upkeep.

A report on the extent of moisture damage repair work in residential buildings

Finnish homes have the least amount of moisture damage in Europe. The proportion of people living in homes with moisture damage in Finland is approximately 5 percent of the total population, compared to an EU average of 16 percent. (Source: Fraunhofer IBP)

VTT and Tampere University of Applied Sciences TAMK have investigated the scope of moisture damage repair work in residential buildings as part of Need for repair of a residential building in Finland - research.

A key point in the report is that moisture damage is not only a problem for certain high-risk buildings or structures. Any residential building can be damaged if care and maintenance are neglected. With good care, maintenance and proper use, a significant part of moisture damage can be prevented or the consequences of the damage can be reduced.

The most common causes of moisture damage were pipe bursts and leaking joints between equipment or furniture and pipes. The second most common cause of damage was faulty structures, such as missing waterproofing, underlayment, drainage or soil that prevents the rise of capillary water in the subfloor.

Several problems due to structural solutions and materials have been identified and addressed through new regulations, training and communication. In these respects, the occurrence of new, serious and structural moisture damage is reduced.

Moisture and mold problems

Coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment Moisture and mold problems The action plan assessed that many of the current moisture damage is of old origin. In the 1960s–80s, several construction solutions were implemented with complete approval, which have since proven to be risky. The helpline website has a wealth of material on how to eliminate moisture damage, including the Päättäjän homeopas (The Decision Maker's Guide to Home Remedies).