Use of thermography for determining places in danger of the mold growth in residential buildings

Abstract

The mold present in buildings is a factor causing, among others, threat to the health of residents, degradation of building materials, destruction of wall surfaces and furniture adjacent to molded partitions. This article examines the usefulness of thermography to identify areas at risk of mold growth in homes. For this purpose, a thermal imaging camera was used to create thermograms
of building partitions. The thermograms were processed to determine the possibility of mold appearance and the extent of its development. The presence of moisture on barrier surface is one of the preconditions for mold growth. Thermogram analyses were carried out using three methods for determining critical temperature below which moisture condensation occurs on the surface of the barrier. A method based on the surface temperature factor proved to be the most useful one to determine the extent of mold development fRsi. The usefulness of the thermovision method to determine the area of mold growth has been verified practically through visible traces of mycelium on the examined walls and ceilings. When analyzig thermograms, it is required to take many factors into account. Therefore, a person interpreting thermograms must have appropriate knowledge in the field of thermovision and building physics.