Moisture Content of Wood and Indoor Environment
The indoor environment where people live should not have excessive fluctuations in humidity and should be stable within a certain range, which is very beneficial for personal health and object preservation. Research data shows that the relative humidity range for preventing wet mold is 0-80%; 0-70% or 80-100% for pest prevention; Save books for 40-60%; 55% -60% to prevent bacterial infection; The mortality rate is low at 60-70%, and the relative humidity of human living environment should be around 60.
There are many factors that can cause changes in indoor humidity, such as changes in external or indoor temperature, which can cause changes in humidity; The water vapor flowing in or out of the air window or air exchange, the water vapor passing through the wall, and the water vapor coming in from the kitchen can also cause changes in humidity.
The moisture regulating properties of wood are one of its unique properties and its advantages as an indoor decoration material and furniture material. Residences decorated with wood or wooden materials have much smaller humidity changes than concrete or wallpaper decorated residences. The so-called moisture regulating characteristics of wood are directly mitigating the humidity changes in the indoor environment by relying on its own moisture absorption and desorption effects. When the relative humidity of the indoor environment decreases, the balance of water vapor pressure between the indoor environment and wood is broken. The water vapor pressure inside the wood is higher than the water vapor pressure inside the indoor environment, and the water inside the wood will escape, causing the relative humidity of the indoor environment to increase. This is a desorption process. On the contrary, when the relative humidity of the indoor environment increases, wood will absorb moisture from the indoor air, which is a moisture absorption process. Wood undergoes a very strong desorption or moisture absorption process at the beginning, and then gradually slows down until reaching a new dynamic equilibrium. Here, wood plays a role in storing moisture, just like a natural regulator of indoor air humidity. For a long time, people have been accustomed to living in the environment of wooden furniture and wooden interior decoration materials.
