Condensation is water droplets forming on a surface, creating the conditions mold needs to grow. It shows up mainly in winter, most often on aluminum frames and glass panes, and in severe cases even on the walls themselves. It happens when faulty thermal insulation creates a sharp temperature gap between the inner wall surface and the air inside the apartment.
Getting the thermal system right in envelope walls:
Under Israeli Standard 1045 (Thermal Insulation), envelope walls must meet thermal conductivity requirements so that none of the wall's layers drop below the required temperature. The standard sets different requirements by climate zone, and the designer has to match the insulation system to the zone where the apartment is built.
When the insulation falls short, the moisture that builds up indoors meets the inner wall surface, colder than it should be, crosses the dew point, and partly condenses into droplets. Those droplets collect on the wall surface, creating the conditions for mold to grow and damaging the envelope material itself.
The engineers of Arad Bedek Bayit, led by building engineer Ron Arad, whom courts appoint as their own expert on construction defects. The company has been inspecting apartments and buildings since 2001. Engineer Ron Arad · More about the company