With the continued rise of green and sustainable construction, builders across the country are addressing moisture and air management through careful product specification and smart building processes—even down to the selection of housewrap. A high-performing housewrap with optimal breathability can help improve a home’s durability, indoor air quality and even help reduce utility costs. Therefore, it’s more important than ever that builders choose the right housewrap for the job.
1. Ability to Serve as an Air Barrier
Did you know the average 2,500 square-foot house has more than a half mile of cracks and crevices that are open to wind and wind-driven rain? As an air barrier, housewraps reduce convective wind washÂing against sheathings and air infiltration into stud wall cavities. As part of an air barrier assembly, a housewrap can reduce drafts, increase comfort and reduce energy use by decreasing the amount of non-conditioned air entering and exiting conditioned wall cavities. In fact, according to the Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR®, continuous air barriers can reduce energy cost as much as 15% to 20%.
2. Jobsite Durability
To be effective, a housewrap must remain in place after installation. Many housewraps can be torn by heavy winds or ripped by the rigors of the job site. This requires re-installation or significant repair to ensure best functionality of air and water holdout. This costs the builder profits and delays the project. Housewraps with excellent tear resistance minimizes this problem.
UV stability is also vital to the performance of a housewrap. Even limited exposure to ultraviolet rays causes some housewrap to deteriorate. Technologically savvy manufacturers have begun to place UV inhibitors in the coating and fibers of their housewrap products. While most builders cover housewrap shortly after installation, the prudent builder looks for a housewrap with at least a 6-month UV rating.
3. Surfactant Resistance
Surfactants found in wood tannins, cedar oils and turpentine within some cladding, as well as soap solutions can reduce the surface tension of housewrap, consequently decreasing its water holdout. Therefore, builders should look for the housewrap with the highest surfactant resistance to properly protect their homes, especially when installing under vinyl and wood siding, brick, stone and stucco.
4. Compatible System Option
Some manufacturers have developed a system approach, which includes compatible tapes for seaming and adhesive flashings for openings, that vastly improves the air and moisture resistance of the housewrap. One example is the TYPAR® Weather Protection System which comes with an industry-leading lifetime limited warranty that covers the cost of labor and materials, giving builders yet another level of confidence in the system.
While there are many housewrap products on the market that differ in performance and price, making sure your housewrap meets these performance criteria will help ensure your providing your homeowners with highest building envelope protection.
For more information, visit www.TYPAR.com.
