Bound Water in Wet Materials
Estimates the weight (lb) and volume (gal) of water held in affected materials that drying must evaporate.
Example
You enter
- Material volume (ft³, area x thickness) 10
- Oven-dry density (lb/ft³; softwood ~32, gypsum ~40) 32
- Current moisture content (percent) 40
- Goal moisture content (percent) 12
You get
- Oven-dry mass 320 lb
- Water to evaporate 89.6 lb
- Water volume 10.7 gal
Checked against published worked examples from: ANSI/IICRC S500 gravimetric water-mass relation.
Details, formula, and sources
ScopeFrom the material volume, oven-dry density, and the moisture-content drop to the dry goal. Scopes equipment-days and validates the plan against the evaporation and dehumidifier sizing. Moisture content is dry-weight basis; meter readings and IICRC S500 govern.
Formula or tabledry_mass_lb = material_volume_ft3 x dry_density_lb_ft3; water_lb = dry_mass_lb x (mc_current_pct - mc_goal_pct) / 100; water_gal = water_lb / 8.34 lb/gal.
Source and editionGravimetric water-mass relation, by name; ANSI/IICRC S500. Moisture content on a dry-weight basis (consistent with wood-emc). The 8.34 lb/gal water density is not edition-bound.
Free accessQuantifies the pounds and gallons the drying system must evaporate from wet materials, scoping equipment-days against the dry goal.
What governsEstimate. AHJ and licensed professional govern.
API field namesmaterial_volume_ft3, dry_density_lb_ft3, mc_current_pct, mc_goal_pct, dry_mass_lb, water_lb, water_gal
- Dry-weight basis moisture content is percent of oven-dry weight, consistent with wood-emcANSI/IICRC S500
- Water density 8.34 lb/galpure-math.js convention