A prototype expert system for diagnosing moisture problems in houses.

In this paper the moisture-diagnosis prototype of a knowledge based expert system to assist in the identification and diagnosis of air leakage problems in residential buildings is described and discussed. This prototype system requires the user to describe the symptoms of the existing moisture problems and provide information on house characteristics. Based on additional information on the symptoms and the house, this interactive program produces a list of probable causes and recommentations for remedial action. In addition to describing the current prototype, this paper also discusses the results of an evaluation of the system based on its use by human experts in the field of residential building moisture. This evaluation, along with insights obtained through the efforts of the system's developers, has led to several proposed improvements of the prototype.