Building characteristics associated with moisture related problems in 8,918 Swedish dwellings

Abstract

Moisture problems in buildings have in a number of studies been shown to increase the risk for respiratory symptoms. The study Dampness in Buildings and Health (DBH) was initiated with the aim to identify health relevant exposures related to dampness in buildings. A questionnaire study about home environment with a focus on dampness problems and health was conducted in one county of Sweden (8,918 homes, response rate 79%). Building characteristics that were associated with one or more of the dampness indicators were for single-family houses, older houses, flat-roofed houses built in the 1960s and 1970s, houses with a concrete slab on the ground that were built before 1983. Moreover, tenancy and earlier renovation due to mould or moisture problems was strongly associated with dampness. A perception of dry air was associated with window-pane condensation, e.g. humid indoor air.

Modeling ventilation rates in bedrooms based on building characteristics and occupant behavior

“…These results further confirm that condensation on the bedroom window can be an indicator of insufficient ventilation rate in the room. In contrast to the results of Bornehag et al [34] and Hägerhed-Engman et al [33], window condensation over 5 cm was more frequently reported in apartments (32%) than in family houses (15.6%) (Table S2). This is in line with our findings that bedrooms in apartments have lower ventilation rates than in family houses.…”

“…It is related to relatively low indoor surface temperature of the window and to high indoor air humidity which may be caused by high occupant density or low ventilation rates [3,7,31,32]. In one Swedish study, condensation on windows was mainly associated with older houses, natural ventilation systems (low ventilation rate) and occupancy [33]. In the present study, almost 19% of the inspected homes experienced more than 5 cm of condensation on the window pane in the winter.…”

Impact of dwelling characteristics on concentrations of bacteria, fungi, endotoxin and total inflammatory potential in settled dust

“…It is not clear whether building characteristics can be used as a proxy for these microbial agents. Moisture-related problems in buildings have been interlinked to respiratory problems [24,27,29]. Although the relationship between moisture in homes and microbial exposure is well studied, the relationship between building characteristics is not yet fully understood.…”

“…Moisture has a great influence on fungal growth and bacterial viability [59]. The temperature, ventilation rate and construction details are often reflected in the year of construction which, have been shown to influence the moisture level in dwellings [9,27,45].…”

The surface emissions trap: A new approach in indoor air purification

“…The problem is expected to increase with the ongoing climate change leading to more rain in the future in many parts of the world (Andersen et al, 2011;Beggs, 2010;Hägerhed-Engman et al, 2009a). Indoor dampness is related to adverse health effects and/or bad smell and has, for example, been estimated to account for 30-50% of all asthma cases in the United States (Fisk et al, 2007;Hägerhed-Engman et al, 2009b;Mendell et al, 2011).…”