Moisture in wood buildings is a critical factor that can affect the durability, safety, and
aesthetics of structures. Excessive moisture can lead to significant problems such as wood
decay due to fungi, the growth of harmful molds, stains, swelling, warping, and the
corrosion of fasteners. Carefully monitoring the moisture content of wood is therefore
essential to prevent this damage and ensure the healthiness of indoor environments.
Knitronix develops and produces advanced textile sensors capable of detecting moisture
content and the presence of liquids. These sensors offer an innovative solution that
overcomes the limitations of traditional methods.
These textile sensors function like a resistor: when wood is dry, the circuit is open, and
its electrical resistance is high. In presence of liquid or moisture the electrical
resistance drops, indicating a critical situation. This sensor has been specifically
designed to be placed under CLT walls, to monitor raising damp coming from concrete slabs.
The tape also incorporates an embedded circuit able to alert if the circuit is damaged
and requires attention.
This tape is the result of two years of R&D in our lab and at CNR labs (Centro Nazionale
Ricerche) of Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze, Italy), where the sensor has been fully tested under
very harsh conditions.
