EN 12429:1998

Thermal insulating products for building applications - Conditioning to moisture equilibrium under specified temperature and humidity conditions

This European standard specifies equipment and procedures to condition a thermal insulating product to equilibrium moisture content at (23+/-2)°C and (50+/-5)% relative humidity. The standard is also applicable to thermal insulating products with moulded skins but is not normally relevant for faced products or for products with other surface treatments.

Wärmedämmstoffe für das Bauwesen - Einstellen der Ausgleichsfeuchte bei definierten Temperatur- und Feuchtebedingungen

Diese Europäische Norm legt Prüfeinrichtungen und Verfahren fest, um Wärmedämmstoffe bei (23+/-2)°C und (50+/-)% relativer Luftfeuchte bis zum Einstellen der Ausgleichsfeuchte zu konditionieren. Diese Norm gilt auch für Wärmedämmstoffe mit verdichteten Oberflächenschichten, aber sie ist in der Regel nicht geeignet für kaschierte Produkte oder für Produkte, die anderen Oberflächenbehandlungen unterzogen wurden.

Produits isolants thermiques destinés aux applications du bâtiment - Conditionnement jusqu'à l'équilibre hygroscopique dans des conditions de température et d'humidité spécifiées

La présente norme spécifie les équipements et les procédures à suivre pour conditionner un produit isolant thermique afin d'obtenir l'équilibre hygroscopique à (23+/-2)°C et (50+/-5)% d'humidité relative. Cette norme s'applique également aux produits isolants thermiques comportant des peaux de moulage, mais n'est normalement pas prévue pour les produits revêtus ou ceux ayant subi d'autres traitements de surface.

Toplotnoizolacijski proizvodi za uporabo v gradbeništvu – Doseganje ravnotežne vlažnosti pri predpisani temperaturi in relativni vlažnosti zraka

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 24-Jun-1998
• ICS: 91.100.99 - Other construction materials
• ICS: 91.120.10 - Thermal insulation of buildings
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 88 - Thermal insulating materials and products
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 88/WG 1 - Common general test methods
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 05-Oct-2020
• Completion Date: 23-Sep-2025
• Directive: 305/2011 - Regulation (eu) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 march 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing council directive 89/106/eec
• Directive: 89/106/EEC - Construction products
• Ref Project: SIST EN 12429:1999 - Thermal insulating products for building applications - Conditioning to moisture equilibrium under specified temperature and humidity conditions

Overview

EN 12429:1998 (CEN) defines how to condition thermal insulating products to a stable moisture state before testing. The standard specifies the equipment and procedures needed to bring an insulation material to its equilibrium moisture content at a reference climate of (23 ± 2) °C and (50 ± 5) % relative humidity. It is applicable to a wide range of thermal insulating products, including those with moulded skins, but is not normally relevant for faced products or products with other surface treatments.

Key Topics

• Scope and applicability: Clarifies which thermal insulating products are covered and which surface treatments (e.g., faced products) are normally excluded.
• Reference climate conditions: Specifies conditioning to equilibrium at 23 °C ±2 °C and 50 % RH ±5 %.
• Equipment and procedural requirements: Defines the need for controlled environmental conditions and repeatable procedures to ensure consistent moisture conditioning prior to testing.
• Equilibrium moisture content: Focus on reaching and verifying a stable moisture state before performing performance tests (e.g., thermal resistance, hygrothermal assessments).
• Documentation and traceability: Requires recording of conditioning conditions and confirmation that equilibrium has been achieved for test reproducibility.

Applications

EN 12429:1998 is used where consistent moisture conditioning is essential to reliable test results and product comparison:

• Manufacturers: for quality control and release testing of thermal insulating products.
• Test laboratories: to prepare samples consistently before thermal, mechanical or durability testing.
• Certification bodies and compliance testing: to ensure products are assessed under standardized moisture conditions.
• Specifiers, designers, and researchers: to obtain comparable hygrothermal performance data for building insulation and product development.

Practical benefits include improved repeatability of thermal performance tests, more accurate aging and durability assessments, and consistent baseline conditions for comparative studies of insulation materials.

Related Standards

EN 12429:1998 is intended to be used in conjunction with other European standards covering thermal insulation testing, product specifications and hygrothermal properties. It complements standards that define performance test methods, sample preparation, and product classification for building insulation.

Keywords: EN 12429:1998, thermal insulating products, conditioning to moisture equilibrium, equilibrium moisture content, relative humidity, building insulation testing.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Toplotnoizolacijski proizvodi za uporabo v gradbeništvu – Doseganje ravnotežne vlažnosti pri predpisani temperaturi in relativni vlažnosti zrakaWärmedämmstoffe für das Bauwesen - Einstellen der Ausgleichsfeuchte bei definierten Temperatur- und FeuchtebedingungenProduits isolants thermiques destinés aux applications du bâtiment - Conditionnement jusqu'a l'équilibre hygroscopique dans des conditions de température et d'humidité spécifiéesThermal insulating products for building applications - Condi
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