Moisture Risk in Unvented Attics Due to Air Leakage Paths - Minneapolis Minnesota
IBACOS completed an initial analysis of moisture damage potential in an unvented attic insulated with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam. To complete this analysis, the research team collected field data, used computational fluid dynamics to quantify the airflow rates through individual airflow (crack) paths, simulated hourly flow rates through the leakage paths with CONTAM software, correlated the CONTAM flow rates with indoor humidity ratios from Building Energy Optimization software, and used "Warme und Feuchte instationar Pro two-dimensional modeling" to determine the moisture content of the building materials surrounding the cracks.
Given the number of simplifying assumptions and numerical models associated with this analysis, the results indicate that localized damage due to high moisture content of the roof sheathing is possible under very low airflow rates. Reducing the number of assumptions and approximations through field studies and laboratory experiments would be valuable to understand the real-world moisture damage potential in unvented attics.
Citation Formats
Ibacos Innovation. (2016). Moisture Risk in Unvented Attics Due to Air Leakage Paths - Minneapolis Minnesota [data set]. Retrieved from https://dx.doi.org/10.25984/2204228.
Rapport, Ari, Shaffer, Matthew, and Prahl, Duncan. Moisture Risk in Unvented Attics Due to Air Leakage Paths - Minneapolis Minnesota. United States: N.p., 27 Apr, 2016. Web. doi: 10.25984/2204228.
Rapport, Ari, Shaffer, Matthew, & Prahl, Duncan. Moisture Risk in Unvented Attics Due to Air Leakage Paths - Minneapolis Minnesota. United States. https://dx.doi.org/10.25984/2204228
Rapport, Ari, Shaffer, Matthew, and Prahl, Duncan. 2016. "Moisture Risk in Unvented Attics Due to Air Leakage Paths - Minneapolis Minnesota". United States. https://dx.doi.org/10.25984/2204228. https://data.openei.org/submissions/5495.
@div{oedi_5495, title = {Moisture Risk in Unvented Attics Due to Air Leakage Paths - Minneapolis Minnesota}, author = {Rapport, Ari, Shaffer, Matthew, and Prahl, Duncan.}, abstractNote = {IBACOS completed an initial analysis of moisture damage potential in an unvented attic insulated with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam. To complete this analysis, the research team collected field data, used computational fluid dynamics to quantify the airflow rates through individual airflow (crack) paths, simulated hourly flow rates through the leakage paths with CONTAM software, correlated the CONTAM flow rates with indoor humidity ratios from Building Energy Optimization software, and used "Warme und Feuchte instationar Pro two-dimensional modeling" to determine the moisture content of the building materials surrounding the cracks.
Given the number of simplifying assumptions and numerical models associated with this analysis, the results indicate that localized damage due to high moisture content of the roof sheathing is possible under very low airflow rates. Reducing the number of assumptions and approximations through field studies and laboratory experiments would be valuable to understand the real-world moisture damage potential in unvented attics.
}, doi = {10.25984/2204228}, url = {https://data.openei.org/submissions/5495}, journal = {}, number = , volume = , place = {United States}, year = {2016}, month = {04}}
https://dx.doi.org/10.25984/2204228
Details
Data from Apr 27, 2016
Last updated Nov 1, 2023
Submitted Apr 27, 2016
Organization
Ibacos Innovation
Contact
Ari Rapport
Authors
Research Areas
Keywords
building america, BEopt, WUFI, attic air leakage, attic ventilation, cathedralized attics, closed-cell spray foam insulation, hygrothermal analysis, moisture risk, residential, water vapor flow rate, cold, computational fluid dynamics, multifamily, single family, BuildingAmericaDOE Project Details
Project Name Building America
Project Number FY14 AOP 1.9.1.19
