The JLC Guide To Moisture Control: Practical Details for Durable Buildings

I am very pleased with this "Guide". I have purchased many books and journals about woodworking, construction and other associated subjects. I have a subscription to JLC magazine as well as Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking. This guide ranks amongst the best I have read. It is clear and not overly "wordy" and the diagrams are excellent. The topics appear to be well thought out and the progression of the material seems logical as to what you need to understand first, before moving on. I am not a professional contractor and therefore I am not "qualified" to judge the "Guide" as such. I would however, as a person interested in this type of educational material, as a "do-it-yourselfer," advise this "Guide" from JLC without reservation.

I know you can mostly find articles, schmatics etc. on every topic online now but I still like having actual books to take to a job, train rookies and copy for clients who question proceedure [think they know it-all]. This book has been out for a while so I had used it before but held off on picking up a copy b/c other that buying from JLC [at retail price] it was hard to find. Amazon had it and now so do I! Lets face it moisture issues and water infiltration are a key indicator of what kind of technician you are. If you invest the time to really understand the protocols in overlapping systems and proper details you will have ZERO comebacks and be a better troubleshooter when called to fix some hack's poor work. Could not have written a better book myself, a real GEM for your refrence library!

This book is the only one I have found so far that has excellent detailed information on setting up sealed crawlspaces. It discusses in detail and shows an actual example of a duct and fan setup to push living space air into the crawlspace. This book covers dealing with virtually all residential moisture problems and If you have any you need to consult this book. I am a civil engineer but have found that all the text and examples are written in a plain, easy to read form. You won't regret this purchase.Jim Chapman

This is the best book on moisture control on the market. It is an edited collection of well-presented articles written primarily by contractors, exceptions include a PhD building science consultant, a wood science consultant and two university-associated experts. Hence most of the information is based upon codes, experience and practical in-the-field knowledge. I view this a plus because it explains how-to procedures, cites specific materials to use and is easy to understand, but the downside is scant scientific verification, a lack of completeness and continuity between individual topics and essentially nothing on current issues of environmental impact and sustainability.In cold climates, to prevent condensation on the inside of windows we are told to keep the relative humidity below 40%, but little detail is provided on how to do that. For example, beginning on p. 63 Lentz explains how he seals up a house in Wisconsin, but nothing on ventilation and heating necessary to prevent condensation.The controversy to ventilate or not a crawlspace is left open. It would be nice to read pro and cons of doing so. For examples, in cold climates how do we reduce humidity in winter? We are told to use foam blocks to close crawlspace vents in winter whereas cold outside air is a good source of low-humidity air. In warm climates, we are told to vent conditioned air into crawlspaces, but nothing on exhausting it, let alone controlling that air flow.It would have been helpful for such a good book to provide references for deeper reading, especially on contentious and current issues. Despite these negatives, the book provides a lot of information in 410 pages. I highly recommend it.

From flashing details that work, to understanding what house wrap really does, to vapor barriers and insulation, to picking ventilation fans, this book is required reading before you can call yourself a builder. Well illustrated with mostly well explained photos. Wood, stucco, masonry, and more topics you'll be surprised to find in a book on moisture control. Discover what you've been missing. Up to date articles by real experts and specialists who actually test techniques and study failures in the field. Read this book now so your next project won't be in the book's next edition.

I am a civil engineer and I have found this book to be a great reference when I am working with architects and other disciplines. I really wish that home builders were required to take a course on the material in this book.

The JLC Guide to Moisture Control arrived promptly. The Guide is thorugh, well organized, well illustrated and written in a clear manner. The Guide is an excellent value for the number of subjects expertly covered.

This is a great guide particularly for inspectors. Even a layman can understand how to control moisture in buildings.