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Water can exist in 3 common forms - as a solid (ice), as a liquid and as a gas (vapour).

In buildings, moisture can accumulate because of:

• Occupant activity - breathing, sweating, cooking, disco dancing
• Appliances - washing machines, dishwashers
• Heating and Cooling - condensation from these units
• Plumbing fixtures - showers, bathtubs, sinks
• Humidity from outside (summer) via air leakage
• Condensation on windows (winter and summer) because of temperature differences and humidity.
• Wicking (capillary action) - when water moves from a high pressure to low pressure, it can actually climb upwards. This happens in masonry and wood buildings.

In all these cases, the level of moisture in a building needs to be carefully controlled.