Published 2023-10-19

There are many places in a church that can be exposed to moisture, causing damage to walls and ceilings, furnishings and decorations, textiles and books. An increasing number of parishes and pastorates have started to systematically log humidity and temperature – often remotely – to avoid costly moisture damage and minimize heating costs. In Örebro parish, for example, there are clear benefits from remote monitoring of the indoor climate in churches.

Mold and other microorganisms are common in churches. Cleaning up microbial growth takes a lot of time and money. To counteract this, the Church of Sweden has been working actively for many years to ensure a good indoor climate in church buildings. As part of this work, a comprehensive handbook on the facts and detection of moisture in different environments has been produced.

Increased need for metrology

“Moisture, or water, is the single most important factor in determining whether a church building is affected by mold. Keeping moisture and water loads in check prevents damage,” the manual states. At the same time, it notes that mold problems do not seem to be going away but rather the opposite: climate change, with increasing rainfall and warmer climates, is predicted to give churches more work in controlling and managing moisture levels.

The handbook is aimed at those who both plan and carry out the operation, maintenance and supervision of churches in parishes and pastorates. It is divided into the following seven inspection rounds: the crawl space, soil and drainage, the façade, the attic, the roof, the interior of the building and in connection with surveying.

Not everything can be seen or smelled…

There are many sources of moisture, such as rainfall and soil moisture, leakage and humidity. Discoloration, stains and flaking plaster and paint can indicate moisture damage. Similarly, an unusual, pungent smell can reveal the presence of mold. But in a remarkable number of cases, mold growth is fairly anonymous. The mould cannot be seen or smelled until the growth is well advanced. If microbial growth is suspected, the Church of Sweden therefore recommends that adequate measuring equipment be used to measure and monitor the presence of temperature and relative humidity (RH) in several places in the church.

So what causes moisture problems in churches and where should measurements be taken? Open doors (e.g. during summers), leaks and exhaled air from visitors during services are some sources of warm air meeting cool surfaces (such as church walls) and causing condensation. Surfaces made of organic material or soiled by carbon particles from burning candles are a good breeding ground for microbial growth.

Moisture alarm from microclimate measurement

In a church there are many microclimates. These are small, confined areas where temperature, air circulation and humidity may differ from the climate in other parts of the space. These microclimates, which may have elevated moisture levels, are found under pews and pulpits, behind altarpieces and fixtures placed/attached to an exterior wall. One microclimate that’s important to keep an eye on is the storage of mess kit, alba, smock and other garments. Textiles are sensitive and should ideally not be exposed to relative humidity higher than 50% RH. Many churches use the mobile-connected Celsicom TH600 to measure moisture in these and other spaces. If the moisture value is exceeded, the user receives an automatic alarm via SMS or email. By also using the Celsicom TC602 measurement box, you can perform additional measurements and correlate these with measurement data from the TH600 in the Celsiview cloud service. It gives you the RF value of a surface in real time, allowing you to quickly see if the surface is so cold and damp that there is a high risk of mold growth.

Moisture content in exposed wooden structures

Water leaks and warm air entering roof and floor structures can result in damp environments and a breeding ground for mold. With the help of the Celsicom MM611B connected measuring box, churches have the opportunity to quickly and easily measure the moisture ratio continuously. They monitor the water content of exposed wooden structures such as roof and floor joists and can detect at an early stage any damage caused, for example, by water ingress.

Temperature measurement that saves costs

Energy saving is a priority for many businesses. Churches are no exception. In many cases, intermittent heating is used. That is, church buildings are basically only heated for services, weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies. The Celsicom TH600 is a perfect measurement solution in this context as well. The measuring box tells you how long it takes to heat the church. This can help churches ensure perfectly timed, comfortable indoor climates for different services while reducing heating costs.

Move and measure wherever you want

The Celsicom family of measurement boxes are all small and compact, reliable and battery-powered. It only takes a few minutes to activate a box to start measuring. The boxes can be placed almost anywhere and are easy to move when a new measurement need arises.

Measurement solutions for moisture control in churches

More facts about moisture

Various factors affect the humidity measurement. If you want to find out what these are and what you need to consider when using humidity measuring instruments, read more on our Facts about humidity page.

Published 2022-12-19

Our compact, robust Celsicom meter boxes give you full control of moisture on construction sites or after water damage in a property. You can view updated measurement data directly on your phone at any time.

Remote monitoring of building moisture

The Celsicom TH601A and TH601B measurement boxes provide you with convenient and reliable monitoring of moisture remaining in wood materials and concrete slabs on construction sites. By logging in to the Celsiview cloud service on your mobile phone, tablet or computer, you can quickly access current measurements.

The TH601A is equipped with a 0.4 meter external cable sensor while the TH601B has a 2.0 meter external cable sensor. Both are robust measurement boxes that can measure moisture in harsh environments, such as a concrete slab using the RF method, for a long time. A specially adjusted sensor can be purchased for the 75-95 %RH range to achieve maximum accuracy.

Remote monitoring of dehumidification

The measuring boxes are also ideal for accurately monitoring the moisture situation after water damage in different types of properties. Depending on the extent of the water damage, the moisture monitoring boxes are installed in the concrete structures. You can then easily follow the dehumidification process remotely on your phone, tablet or computer.

By setting alarm limits, you will automatically receive a text message or email when dehumidification is complete. You can also look at the dehumidification curve to estimate when moisture values are expected to be reached and thus plan further restoration work. All this avoids unnecessary trips to measure and document progress on site with portable moisture meters, saving you time and money.

What you need to start measuring building moisture