ASTM E241-20
(Guide)Standard Guide for Limiting Water-Induced Damage to Buildings
Standard Guide for Limiting Water-Induced Damage to Buildings
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Moisture degradation is frequently a significant factor that either limits the useful life of a building or necessitates costly repairs. Examples of moisture degradation include: (1) decay of wood-based materials, (2) spalling of masonry caused by freeze-thaw cycles, (3) damage to gypsum plasters by dissolution, (4) corrosion of metals, (5) damage due to expansion of materials or components (by swelling due to moisture pickup, or by expansion due to corrosion, hydration, or delayed ettringite formation), (6) spalling and degradation caused by salt migration, (7) failure of finishes, and (8) creep deformation and reduction in strength or stiffness.
4.1.1 Moisture accumulation within construction components or constructions may adversely affect serviceability of a building, without necessarily causing immediate and serious degradation of the construction components. Examples of such serviceability issues are: (1) indoor air quality, (2) electrical safety, (3) degradation of thermal performance of insulations, and (4) decline in physical appearance. Mold or mildew growth can influence indoor air quality and physical appearance. With some components, in particular interior surface finishes, mold or mildew growth may limit service life of the component. Moisture conditions that affect serviceability issues can frequently be expected, unless corrected, to eventually result in degradation of the building or its components. This guide does not attempt however to address serviceability issues that could be corrected by cleaning and change in building operation, and that would not require repair or replacement of components to return the building (or portions or components of the building) to serviceability.
4.2 Prevention of water-induced damage must be considered throughout the construction process including the various stages of the design process, construction, and building commissioning. It must also be considered in building operation and maintenance, and when...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers building design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance.
1.2 This guide addresses the need for systematic evaluation of factors that can result in moisture-induced damage to a building or its components. Although of great potential importance, serviceability issues which are often, but not necessarily, related to physical damage of the building or its components (for example, indoor air quality or electrical safety) are not directly addressed in this guide.
1.3 The emphasis of this guide is on low-rise buildings. Portions of this guide; in particular Sections 5, 6, and 7; may also be applicable to high-rise buildings.
1.4 This guide is not intended for direct use in codes and specifications. It does not attempt to prescribe acceptable limits of damage. Buildings intended for different uses may have different service life expectancies, and expected service lives of different components within a given building often differ. Furthermore, some building owners may be satisfied with substantially shorter service life expectancies of building components or of the entire building than other building owners. Lastly, the level of damage that renders a component unserviceable may vary with the type of component, the degree to which failure of the component is critical (for example, whether failure constitutes a life-safety hazard), and the judgement (that is, tolerance for damage) of the building owner. For the reasons stated in this paragraph, prescribing limits of damage would require listing many pages of exceptions and qualifiers and is beyond the scope of this guide.
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address the safety concerns associated with its use. It...
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This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E241 − 20
Standard Guide for
1
Limiting Water-Induced Damage to Buildings
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E241; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.1 This guide covers building design, construction,
1.7 This international standard was developed in accor-
commissioning, operation, and maintenance.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.2 This guide addresses the need for systematic evaluation
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
of factors that can result in moisture-induced damage to a
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
building or its components. Although of great potential
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
importance, serviceability issues which are often, but not
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
necessarily, related to physical damage of the building or its
2. Referenced Documents
components (for example, indoor air quality or electrical
2
safety) are not directly addressed in this guide.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C168 Terminology Relating to Thermal Insulation
1.3 The emphasis of this guide is on low-rise buildings.
C717 Terminology of Building Seals and Sealants
Portions of this guide; in particular Sections 5, 6, and 7; may
C755 Practice for Selection of Water Vapor Retarders for
also be applicable to high-rise buildings.
Thermal Insulation
1.4 This guide is not intended for direct use in codes and
C1193 Guide for Use of Joint Sealants
specifications.Itdoesnotattempttoprescribeacceptablelimits
D1079 Terminology Relating to Roofing and Waterproofing
of damage. Buildings intended for different uses may have
E331 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior
different service life expectancies, and expected service lives
Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uni-
of different components within a given building often differ.
form Static Air Pressure Difference
Furthermore, some building owners may be satisfied with
E547 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior
substantially shorter service life expectancies of building
Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Cyclic
components or of the entire building than other building
Static Air Pressure Difference
owners. Lastly, the level of damage that renders a component
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
unserviceablemayvarywiththetypeofcomponent,thedegree
E632 Practice for Developing Accelerated Tests to Aid
to which failure of the component is critical (for example,
Prediction of the Service Life of Building Components
whether failure constitutes a life-safety hazard), and the judge-
and Materials
ment (that is, tolerance for damage) of the building owner. For
E1105 Test Method for Field Determination of Water Pen-
the reasons stated in this paragraph, prescribing limits of
etration of Installed Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors,
damage would require listing many pages of exceptions and
and Curtain Walls, by Uniform or Cyclic Static Air
qualifiers and is beyond the scope of this guide.
Pressure Difference
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
E1643 Practice for Selection, Design, Installation, and In-
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
spection of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs
and are not considered standard.
E1677 SpecificationforAirBarrier(AB)MaterialorAssem-
blies for Low-Rise Framed Building Walls
1.6 This standard does not purport to address the safety
E1745 Specification for Plastic Water Vapor Retarders Used
concerns associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the
in Contact with Soil or Granular Fill under Concrete Slabs
user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health,
E2112 Practice for Installation of Exterior Windows, Doors
and Skylights
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Performance
of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.41 on Air
2
Leakage and Ventilation Performance For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved July 1, 2020. Published August 2020. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book
...
This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
´1
Designation: E241 − 09 (Reapproved 2014) E241 − 20
Standard Guide for
1
Limiting Water-Induced Damage to Buildings
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E241; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
ε NOTE—Units statement was inserted in Section 1.5, units information was corrected, and editorial changes were made
throughout in May 2014.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide covers building design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance.
1.2 This guide addresses the need for systematic evaluation of factors that can result in moisture-induced damage to a building
or its components. Although of great potential importance, serviceability issues which are often, but not necessarily, related to
physical damage of the building or its components (for example, indoor air quality or electrical safety) are not directly addressed
in this guide.
1.3 The emphasis of this guide is on low-rise buildings. Portions of this guide; in particular Sections 5, 6, and 7; may also be
applicable to high-rise buildings.
1.4 This guide is not intended for direct use in codes and specifications. It does not attempt to prescribe acceptable limits of
damage. Buildings intended for different uses may have different service life expectancies, and expected service lives of different
components within a given building often differ. Furthermore, some building owners may be satisfied with substantially shorter
service life expectancies of building components or of the entire building than other building owners. Lastly, the level of damage
that renders a component unserviceable may vary with the type of component, the degree to which failure of the component is
critical (for example, whether failure constitutes a life-safety hazard), and the judgement (that is, tolerance for damage) of the
building owner. For the reasons stated in this paragraph, prescribing limits of damage would require listing many pages of
exceptions and qualifiers and is beyond the scope of this guide.
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address the safety concerns associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of
this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C168 Terminology Relating to Thermal Insulation
C717 Terminology of Building Seals and Sealants
C755 Practice for Selection of Water Vapor Retarders for Thermal Insulation
C1193 Guide for Use of Joint Sealants
D1079 Terminology Relating to Roofing and Waterproofing
E331 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uniform Static Air
Pressure Difference
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.41 on Air Leakage and
Ventilation Performance
Current edition approved April 1, 2014July 1, 2020. Published May 2014August 2020. Originally approved in 1964. Last previous edition approved in 20092014 as
ɛ1
E241 – 09.E241 – 09 (2014) . DOI: 10.1520/E0241-09R14E01.10.1520/E0241-20.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’sstandard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E241 − 20
E547 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Cyclic Static Air Pressure
Difference
E631 Termino
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