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A vapor barrier on the warm side of the envelope must be combined with a venting path on the cold side of the insulation. This is because no vapor barrier is perfect, and because water may get into the structure, typically from rain. In general, the better the vapor barrier and the drier the conditions, the less venting is required. [7]
In order to achieve these objectives, all building enclosure systems must include a solid structure, a drainage plane, an air barrier, a thermal barrier, and may include a vapor barrier. Moisture control (e.g. damp proofing ) is essential in all climates, but cold climates and hot-humid climates are especially demanding.
Open-cell foam is porous, allowing water vapor and liquid water to penetrate the insulation. Closed-cell foam is non-porous, and not moisture-penetrable, thereby effectively forming a semi-permeable vapor barrier. (N.B., vapor barriers are usually required by the Building Codes, regardless of the type of insulation used.
The term phase is sometimes used as a synonym for state of matter, but it is possible for a single compound to form different phases that are in the same state of matter. For example, ice is the solid state of water, but there are multiple phases of ice with different crystal structures , which are formed at different pressures and temperatures.
An ampule of nitrogen oxide vapor: brown nitrogen dioxide and colorless dinitrogen tetroxide, in equilibrium. In physics, a vapor (American English) or vapour (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical temperature, [1] which means that the vapor can be condensed to a liquid by increasing the pressure on it without ...
A more recent industrial standard is the European EN 13501-1 - Fire classification of construction products and building elements—which roughly replaces A2 with A2/B, B1 with C, B2 with D/E and B3 with F. B3 or F rated materials may not be used in building unless combined with another material that reduces the flammability of those materials.
Boiling is also a phase transition from the liquid phase to gas phase, but boiling is the formation of vapor as bubbles of vapor below the surface of the liquid. Boiling occurs when the equilibrium vapor pressure of the substance is greater than or equal to the atmospheric pressure. The temperature at which boiling occurs is the boiling ...
Generally, damp proofing keeps exterior moisture from entering a building; vapor barriers, a separate category, keep interior moisture from getting into walls. Moisture resistance is not necessarily absolute; it is usually stated in terms of acceptable limits based on engineering tolerances and a specific test method.