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In building air barriers, the field of the opaque wall typically does not contribute strongly to the building’s overall air leakage.  Instead, details that connect building components are often the… Read More

Some common locations for large holes in the air barrier include bathtubs, showers, fireplace enclosures, and chimneys. Holes behind tub and shower enclosures are common, as these enclosures are… Read More

Windows are elements of the building enclosure system that perform many building enclosure functions. One of the building enclosure functions that windows must fulfill is that of an air barrier. As a… Read More

Typical penetrations through the primary components of the air barrier system include plumbing pipes and vents, electrical wires and conduits, electrical fixtures, other mechanical services, and, in… Read More

Good design and practice involve controlling the wetting of building assemblies from both the exterior and interior and different climates require different approaches.Vapor Permeance… Read More

As they are typically used in buildings today, vapor barriers are a cold climate artifact that has migrated into other climates more from ignorance than need. However, they often prevent assemblies… Read More

The requirements in the code can be used for wood framed structures with temperature and humidity conditions typical of residential occupancy.Three classes of vapor control are defined depending on… Read More

Managing exterior sources of liquid water, i.e. rainwater and groundwater, are one of the principal functions of the building enclosure system, and site work (refer to Information Sheets 101, and 301… Read More

Claddings made of wood, fiber cement, stucco, concrete, and masonry all absorb water to varying degrees. Once the reservoirs get wet, the stored water can migrate elsewhere and cause problems.… Read More

It is common practice to install a complete WRB on a wall assembly before attaching a deck ledger. Then, when the deck ledger is attached, structural connections at this location breech this water… Read More