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Examining Moisture in Homes

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20 January 2011    
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Examining Moisture in Homes
Internal MoistureResidential humidity is an important factor affecting the quality of the built environment. Its influence is felt in terms of thermal and respiratory comfort, occupant perceptions of indoor air quality, and the energy required for heating and air conditioning. High relative humidity also favors growth of biological contaminants such as dust mites and mold, while elevated moisture levels over a prolonged period of time can damage homes. However, data related to moisture levels and residential building features has traditionally been lacking.

To expand the information available, HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research has released Monitoring of Internal Moisture Loads in Residential Buildings. This study is based on a full year of indoor temperature and humidity data in a sample of 60 homes across three different climate regions — the hot/humid Southeast, the cold Northeast, and the marine Northwest. HUD expects that these data will improve our understanding of the relationships between home characteristics and humidity, and subsequently lead to improved indoor air quality and building durability achieved through more informed design and engineering.
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Key Findings

  • In all three regions, visible mold or moisture damage was most frequently found on or around windows and in bathrooms, though in the hot/humid Southeast it was also seen near the cooling coil of air handlers in unconditioned spaces, such as garages.


  • Although humidity levels seen in the homes of the marine Northwest was consistently above 50%, the Northeast experienced the highest level of moisture problems.


  • In the cold Northeast, moisture problems included musty odors within conditioned spaces.


  • Major differences reported between housing in the 3 regions were in age, air leakage, foundation type, cooling equipment, and heating equipment.


  • Further investigation of relationships between increased humidity levels and high air-change rates, high-occupant densities, unfinished and unconditioned basements and crawlspaces, and the use of materials with higher condensation and mold potential is merited.


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