Critical moisture level for mould growth on building materials. Mould can grow on building materials in 75-100% relative humidity (RH) at room temperature. How sensitive materials are to mould growth varies. One way to describe this sensitivity is the critical moisture level, RHcrit, the lowest RH at which mould can grow on a material. The critical moisture level for different material groups was proposed based on the current research situation in 2005, in the report ” Microbiological growth on building materials – critical moisture levels. State of the art” (SP Rapport 2005: 11). Based on new research results, these values are no longer valid. This report provides a general overview of the conditions for mould growth on building materials, focusing on the critical moisture level and the new research results. The main conclusion is that RHcrit is a product-specific property. It is impossible to estimate RHcrit for a product based on that it belongs to a group of materials, such as plaster or wood-based boards. Instead, RHcrit must be determined by laboratory tests for each product. The report also discusses how the results of a laboratory test can be used to prevent mould growth in buildings with known RF and temperature and the benefits of using RHcrit instead of traditional mould resistance tests.

Mould growth results from a complex interaction between environmental factors, material properties, and mould fungi characteristics. These interactions must be considered during the design, construction and maintenance of a building to prevent growth. Mould prediction models aim to predict whether mould will grow on a specific material in a part of building with a known, or simulated, relative humidity and temperature. They are often used in the design phase. Several models are available. There is limited research on the performance of the models in real buildings. This study aimed to evaluate six different models, using data from five building parts. The predictions on whether mould growth was expected or not were compared to actual mould growth observations on five building materials. The study was performed as a round-robin. Most models underestimated the possibility for mould when humidity and temperature varied a lot by time. The outcome also depended on the end-user, who needs to make assumptions and parameter values choices on, for example, material susceptibility for mould growth. Therefore, using the same climate data, mould growth prediction may differ depending on who makes the prediction. One model, MOGLI model, where input data comes from laboratory tests and no such assumptions must be made, predicted correct in most cases. One conclusion of the study is that when predictions are made in practice, the results must be used cautiously. More knowledge is needed to understand, and more accurately model, the relationships between the moisture and temperature variations in buildings and the risk for mould growth. 

The susceptibility for mould growth varies among different building materials. One way to describe the susceptibility is the lowest RH at which mould can grow on a specific material, the critical moisture level (RHcrit). Determining RHcrit for materials provide the basis for material choice in designs where moisture and temperature conditions are known. In this study, RHcrit of 21different products were determined according to SIS-TS 41:2014/SPMet 4927. This test method is developed based on the results of a variety of laboratory studies and validated by field studies. Test specimens were inoculated with a suspension containing spores from six different mould fungi and were then incubated in moisture chambers at four levels of RH at 22 °C. After 12 weeks specimens were analysed for mould growth. RHcrit was determined based on the lowest RH at which mould grew on the specimens. RHcrit varied among different products, even between product belonging to a similar group of material, for example, calcium silicate boards or gypsum boards. The results show, and confirm, previous findings that it is not possible to estimate RHcrit for a specific product based on material group. Instead, each product must be tested. © The Authors