Advanced Building Diagnostics: Psychrometrics

Using The Case of the Moldy Attic, we examine the evidence to determine the cause of mold in the attic of a home that was intended to be a high performance home.

This course prepares you to think critically when conducting advanced building diagnostics specifically related to psychrometrics and building failures.

By the end of this course, you will:

  • Understand the relationship between pressure, temperature, density, and volume
  • Understand the driving forces for water movement in vapor form
  • Interpret data collected related to psychrometrics and building assemblies
  • Identify unsafe conditions for performing depressurization/pressurization tests in a home
  • Identify conditions under which they may perform depressurization/pressurization tests in a home occupied by persons with environmental sensitivities.
  • Determine which tools are appropriate for the task
  • Identify the most likely causes for high humidity levels inside a “high-performance” home