ASTM E241-09
(Guide)Standard Guide for Limiting Water-Induced Damage to Buildings
Standard Guide for Limiting Water-Induced Damage to Buildings
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
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.
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.
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 the building i...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide concerns 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 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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Designation: E241 − 09
StandardGuide 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 2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1 This guide concerns building design, construction,
C168 Terminology Relating to Thermal Insulation
commissioning, operation, and maintenance.
C717 Terminology of Building Seals and Sealants
1.2 This guide addresses the need for systematic evaluation
C755 Practice for Selection of Water Vapor Retarders for
of factors that can result in moisture-induced damage to a
Thermal Insulation
building or its components. Although of great potential
C1193 Guide for Use of Joint Sealants
importance, serviceability issues which are often, but not
D1079 Terminology Relating to Roofing and Waterproofing
necessarily, related to physical damage of the building or its
E331 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior
components (for example, indoor air quality or electrical
Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uni-
safety) are not directly addressed in this guide.
form Static Air Pressure Difference
E547 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior
1.3 The emphasis of this guide is on low-rise buildings.
Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Cyclic
Portions of this guide; in particular Sections 5, 6, and 7; may
Static Air Pressure Difference
also be applicable to high-rise buildings.
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
1.4 This guide is not intended for direct use in codes and E632 Practice for Developing Accelerated Tests to Aid
specifications.Itdoesnotattempttoprescribeacceptablelimits
Prediction of the Service Life of Building Components
of damage. Buildings intended for different uses may have and Materials
different service life expectancies, and expected service lives E1105 Test Method for Field Determination of Water Pen-
of different components within a given building often differ. etration of Installed Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors,
Furthermore, some building owners may be satisfied with and Curtain Walls, by Uniform or Cyclic Static Air
Pressure Difference
substantially shorter service life expectancies of building
E1643 Practice for Selection, Design, Installation, and In-
components or of the entire building than other building
spection of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with
owners. Lastly, the level of damage that renders a component
Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs
unserviceablemayvarywiththetypeofcomponent,thedegree
E1677 SpecificationforAirBarrier(AB)MaterialorSystem
to which failure of the component is critical (for example,
for Low-Rise Framed Building Walls
whether failure constitutes a life-safety hazard), and the judge-
E1745 Specification for Plastic Water Vapor Retarders Used
ment (that is, tolerance for damage) of the building owner. For
in Contact with Soil or Granular Fill under Concrete Slabs
the reasons stated in this paragraph, prescribing limits of
E2112 Practice for Installation of Exterior Windows, Doors
damage would require listing many pages of exceptions and
and Skylights
qualifiers and is beyond the scope of this guide.
E2136 Guide for Specifying and Evaluating Performance of
1.5 This standard does not purport to address the safety
Single Family Attached and Detached Dwellings—
concerns associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the
Durability
user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
2.2 Other Documents:
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
ASCE/SEI 24–05 Flood Resistant Design and
tions prior to use.
Construction,AmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers,Struc-
tural Engineering Institute, Reston, VA.
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 Nov. 1, 2009. Published December 2009. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1964. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as E241 – 08. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/E0241-09. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1
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E241 − 09
ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals Chapter 23: Ther- generallyconside
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This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM 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.
Designation:E241–08 Designation: E241 – 09
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
1.1 This guide concerns 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 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior
to use.
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
E547 Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Cyclic Static Air
Pressure Difference
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
E632 Practice for Developing Accelerated Tests to Aid Prediction of the Service Life of Building Components and Materials
E1105 Test Method for Field Determination of Water Penetration of Installed Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain
Walls, by Uniform or Cyclic Static Air Pressure Difference
E1643 Practice for Selection, Design, Installation, and Inspection of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with Earth or
Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs
E1677 Specification for an Air Barrier (AB) Material or System for Low-Rise Framed Building Walls
E1745 Specification for Plastic Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with Soil or Granular Fill under Concrete Slabs
E2112 Practice for Installation of Exterior Windows, Doors and Skylights
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.41 onAir Leakage and
Ventilation Performance
Current edition approved JuneNov. 1, 2008.2009. Published July 2008.December 2009. Originally approved in 1964. Last previous edition approved in 20042008 as
E241 – 048. DOI: 10.1520/E0241-089.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’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.
1
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E241 – 09
E
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