BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Air Sealing Multifamily Party Walls

Guide

Guide describing how to air-seal common walls between dwelling units in multifamily housing.

Air Sealing Duct and Flue Shafts

Guide

Guide describing how to air-seal duct and flue shafts.

Air Sealing Modular Home Marriage Joints

Guide

Guide describing how to air-seal modular home marriage joints.

Air seal the common wall between units in a multifamily structure to minimize air leakage.

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Wrong – This seam along a common wall is not air sealed.

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Right – This seam along a common wall is air sealed.

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Cover the roll of fiberglass batt with spray foam to air seal it in place

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Right – Blocking installed and air sealed instead of continuous top plate

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Wrong – No air barrier installed between the walls and a larger gap between the walls that needs sealing

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Air seal and insulate double-walls that are half-height or full-height walls used as architectural features in homes.

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Wrong - Common wall sheathing not properly fastened or sealed

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Use caulk, foam, or equivalent material to seal gap between common wall

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Use caulk, foam or equivalent material to seal gap between partition wall

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Gaps at shared common walls can be a significant source of air leakage in multi-family buildings

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Marriage joints between modular home modules at all exterior boundary conditions fully sealed with gasket and foam

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Balloon-framed walls have no top plate to prevent air flow into wall cavity

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Fill in the hole left by the missing top plate with a rigid air blocking material or rolled batt insulation that is spray foamed in place

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Install continuous top plates or blocking at the tops of walls adjacent to conditioned space to minimize air leakage.

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This kneewall has no top plate and the resulting gap provides a wide-open pathway for air and vapor to travel between the living space and the attic

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Right - New flashing has been installed to complete the air and water control layers at the window openings of this wall retrofit that includes insulating the wall cavities with spray foam

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Install Top Plates or Blocking at the Top of Walls Adjoining Unconditioned Spaces

Guide

Guide describing how to correctly air-seal a wall with missing top plates or open wall cavities.

Certified Insulated Siding: Quality, Comfort and Energy Performance

Presentation

This presentation will help you define insulated siding, understand R-value testing of insulated siding, describe proper installation of insulated siding, comply with energy codes and understand building energy performance program and software recognition.

The top plate is missing where the lower wall meets the upper wall

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Mastic Home Exteriors Installation Guide

Reference

Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.

Double-Wall Architectural Feature

Guide

Guide describing air barrier installation, insulation installation, and air-sealing for double walls (half or full walls included in a home design as an architectural feature that provides a more dimensional appearance).

No gasket installed at marriage wall connection prior to assembly

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No gasket installed at marriage wall connection prior to assembly

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Roll a piece of fiberglass batt and stuff it into place at the top of the wall

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Advanced Framing vs Traditional Framing

Video

Video describing traditional 2x4 16 inch on center framing versus advanced framing with 2x6 stud walls at 24 inch on center, insulated corners and headers, wall stud-ceiling joist alignment, etc. providing a strong wall with more room for insulation.

Right – Continuous top plate installed

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