Certification Test study Guide
Learn everything you need to know about stopping condensation in non-climate controlled buildings.
Begin the Certification Process Here.
Take some time to go through these sections to prepare for your Dripstop Pro Certification test.
Three Tools In Fighting Condensation
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Cheating the system
1. Keeping Water From Getting In – Site Preparation
- Site a building in an elevated position with
good natural drainage. - Ventilate enclosed buildings when concrete
is being poured and until it is cured. - Heaters should vent to the outside.
- Place a vapor retarder under floor (gravel or concrete)
- Provide adequate drainage away from the building
- Be aware of other potential sources of moisture.
Accounting for Sources of Moisture In Buildings
- Storage of hay or farm commodities
- Snow melt from or washing vehicles
- Washing down floor areas
- Green lumber or fresh cut timber
- Open pits or sumps filled with water
- Fill dirt
- Fresh concrete
- Livestock
- High ground water table
- Use of non-vented heaters
2. Moving Wet Air Out - Natural Ventilation
- Natural ventilation uses local wind and temperature differences between the inside and outside of the building to move air through the structure.
- Unless we are using mechanical ventilation, this is what we all count on working, but most of us don’t really understand
Wind – The Stronger Of The Two
The difference in speed of wind blowing across, into and through a building causes areas of high and low pressure which creates lift. This lift is similar to a wing on an airplane, and is up to 9 times stronger than the effect of temperature differences.
Wind – Factors Affecting Lift
- Location of buildings with respect to prevailing winds and surrounding trees, structures and land formations is essential to natural ventilation. High ground is best to expose the building to the effects of wind.
- Building Orientation – Typically the ridge of the building should run east-west to catch prevailing winds.
- Separation Distance – The presence of upright silos, grain bins, trees and other farm buildings can greatly affect air flow around a building.
- Locate naturally ventilated buildings at least 50 ft from upright silos and clusters of trees, and 75 ft away from all other buildings.
Temperature Difference – The Chimney Effect
- Warm wet air inside is less dense than colder air outside
- It rises up and out the ridge of the building replaced by colder drier air coming in at the eave vents.
A ventilation system is only as effective as it’s smallest part (inlet-outlet). If there is a difference, the inlet should be larger.
The greater the vertical difference between inlet and outlet the greater the chimney effect but there must be some difference for it to work at all. No horizontal chimneys.
The steeper the roof slope the better. Avoid roof slopes less than 3/12 or better 4/12
The wider the building, the less effective natural ventilation.
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What We Can & Cannot Control
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- Wind
- Temperature
- Most times the building site
We can control:
- Size and placement of openings (vents)
- Leaving out vent closures provides 1.5 sq. Inches of free area per lineal ft of eave.
3. Cheating The System
- You can insulate to try and keep from reaching the dew point
- You can add a preinstalled membrane to absorb and release the condensation as if forms with the natural weather cycle
Using Insulation & Vapor Barrier to Fight Condensation
Insulation is used to help the inside to outside temperature difference at a specific humidity from reaching the dew point.
- The greater the difference, the less humidity it can cope with before dripping
- The greater the humidity level, the less temperature difference it can handle before dripping.
The vapor barrier is used to keep moisture from migrating through the insulation and reaching the cold building shell.
- A break or tear in the barrier drastically reduces it’s effectiveness, water vapor will tend towards the drier colder space on the other side of it’s facing
Advantages of Dripstop to Builders
- Saves Money – No labor cost for installing insulation
- Saves Time – half the time on the roof
- Can be installed in windy conditions
- If you can hold the steel you can be on the job
- Don’t have to double up crews
- Can identify roof leaks more easily
- No cutting out insulation/barrier to find a leak
- Small darker spots mark leaks
- Safety – If someone is going to fall it’s during insulation install
Are You Ready?
If you think you have a good grasp of this material, click the button below to take the Dripstop Pro Certification Test.
