EN 17886:2023

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2024
Toplotnoizolacijski izdelki - Vrednotenje odpornosti proti razvoju plesni -
Laboratorijska preskusna metoda
Thermal insulation products - Assessment of the susceptibility to mould growth -
Laboratory test method
Laborprüfverfahren - Bewertung der Anfälligkeit von Wärmedämmprodukten für
Schimmelbildung
Méthode d'essai de laboratoire - Évaluation de la résistance des produits isolants
thermiques au développement de moisissures
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 17886:2023
ICS:
91.120.10 Toplotna izolacija stavb Thermal insulation of
buildings
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 17886
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
December 2023
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 91.120.10
English Version
Thermal insulation products - Assessment of the
susceptibility to mould growth - Laboratory test method
Produits isolants thermiques - Évaluation de la Wärmedämmstoffe - Bewertung der Anfälligkeit für
sensibilité au développement de moisissures - Schimmelpilzwachstum - Laborprüfverfahren
Méthode d'essai de laboratoire
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 8 October 2023.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2023 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 17886:2023 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 6
5 Test materials and apparatus . 6
5.1 Fungal species . 6
5.2 Reagents . 6
5.3 Apparatus . 7
6 Sampling of the insulating products. 8
7 Insulating product specimens . 8
7.1 Number of test specimens . 8
7.2 Preparation of the test specimens . 8
7.3 Observation of the test specimens at delivery . 8
8 Control specimens . 8
9 Procedure. 9
9.1 Sterilization by ionizing radiation . 9
9.2 Inoculation . 9
9.2.1 Preparation of the spore suspension . 9
9.2.2 Determining the viability of the spores inoculated at the beginning of the test .10
9.2.3 Inoculation of the insulation specimens and of the control specimens .10
9.3 Estimation of the number of colony-forming units (CFU) in the test specimens .10
9.4 Determination of the moisture content of test specimens .11
10 Incubation .11
11 Examination of the test specimens after incubation .12
11.1 Visual surface examination .12
11.2 Quantitative analysis (determination of CFU) .13
12 Validity of the test .14
13 Determination of results .14
14 Interpretation of results .14
15 Report .14
Annex A (informative) Mould test method – Guidelines to interpret the test results .16

European foreword
This document (EN 17886:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 88 “Thermal
insulating materials and products”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2024, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2024.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
Insulation materials used in buildings can be subjected to high humidity either periodically or
permanently and thus be affected by mould growth.
Occurrence and intensity of mould growth depend on humidity, temperature, type of substrate, oxygen,
and ambient spore concentration. The main factor that affects the growth of mould is an increased
availability of moisture on the surface of materials.

1 Scope
This document describes a laboratory test method to determine the susceptibility of thermal insulation
products used for construction against mould growth under specified climatic conditions.
The method is applicable to both factory-made products and in situ formed products. Factory-made
products include panels, mats and rolls.
NOTE In situ formed products are usually those that are delivered loose and installed by blowing-in, pouring,
or spraying-on, eventually using water and/or binder, whether or not they are also treated using additives.
The test is carried out with one of the conditions described in Table 1.
This test method determines the susceptibility of a thermal insulation material to mould growth, but it
does not determine the suitability for use in a given design (wall, roof, etc.).
This method does not predict the resistance of an insulation product to water damage.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN ISO 846:2019, Plastics — Evaluation of the action of microorganisms (ISO 846:2019)
EN ISO 3696, Water for analytical laboratory use — Specification and test methods (ISO 3696)
EN ISO 7218, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — General requirements and guidance for
microbiological examinations (ISO 7218)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
colony-forming unit
CFU
unit used in microbiology which estimates the number of bacteria or fungal cells in a sample which are
viable; cell or aggregate of cells which gives rise to a single colony (a population of the cells visible to the
naked eye) in a semi-solid growth medium
3.2
mould growth
presence of either mycelium, germinated spores or fruiting bodies
3.3
sample
certain part of an insulation material or product (e.g. panel, mat, felt, bag) taken for the test
3.4
test specimen
specimen prepared from the sample of insulation product
3.5
homogeneous product
product consisting of a single material, having uniform density and composition throughout the product
3.6
non-homogeneous product
product that does not satisfy the requirement of a homogeneous product
4 Principle
The test specimens are prepared from insulating material test samples and are sterilized, then inoculated
with a defined quantity of fungal spores. The test specimens are then incubated under specific conditions
of temperature and relative humidity. At the end of the test, the fungal growth is assessed by visual
observation and, where appropriate, by determining the number of CFU present. The presence or absence
of fungal growth makes it possible to rule on the susceptibility of the tested product to mould growth at
a given climatic condition.
5 Test materials and apparatus
5.1 Fungal species
The fungal species referred to in normative documents shall be used to inoculate the insulating product
to be tested. The fungal species shall have been obtained from official culture collections (reference
stocks).
Because of the handling of biological agents, it is recommended to use personal protective equipment
and/or proceed with caution using appropriate equipment such as a microbiological safety cabinet.
Compulsory fungal strains:
— Aspergillus niger (MNHN 5614 or DSM 1957)
— Trichoderma viride (MNHN 88-3354 or IHEM 4146)
— Talaromyces pinophilus (MNHN 56-1527 or DSM 1944)
— Chaetomium globosum (ATCC 6205 or MNHN 4579)
— Paecilomyces variotii (MNHN LCP 79-3210 or DSM 1961)
— Aspergillus versicolor (ATCC 11730 or MNHN 5593)
If this test is done with additional fungal strains, then it shall be done with an additional separate set of
test specimens.
5.2 Reagents
The following products and reagents shall be used:
— Culture medium:
— Malt powder (2 % w/w) and agar (2 % w/w) to be prepared in water of quality 3.
— Solvents and thinners:
— Water of quality 3 in accordance with EN ISO 3696.
— Wetting agent such as Tween® 80 .
— Binder-free glass fibre pre-filters that do not contain any cellulose, 70 mm in diameter.
5.3 Apparatus
The following apparatus shall be used.
5.3.1 Climate chamber with controlled temperature and relative humidity maintained (mean values
recorded) at either:
— 28 °C ± 2 °C and 95 % ± 4 %; or
— 14 °C ± 2 °C and 95 % ± 4 %.; or
— 28 °C ± 2 °C and 85 % ± 4 %; or
— 20 °C ± 2 °C and 85 % ± 4 %.
5.3.2 Conditioning chamber or drying oven at 70 °C ± 3 °C.
5.3.3 Sterile Petri dishes.
4 3
5.3.4 Atomiser capable of providing 1,5 × 10 spores/cm .
5.3.5 Flap type homogenizer (optional) and sterile bags.
...