BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Right – All wood-to-wood joints are sealed with caulk.

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Wrong - Common wall sheathing not properly fastened or sealed

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Right – All wood-to-wood joints are sealed with caulk.

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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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Sprayer-applied sealant seals every seam in the sheathing and framing of this double-walled home.

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The seams in the plywood are taped seams in the cathedral ceiling serve as part of the advanced home sealing strategy.

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The missing top plate in a kneewall was covered with lumber and rigid foam insulation and then sealed with spray foam

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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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Insulating sheathing is extended up to the roof rafters and sealed around the framing with spray foam as part of this exterior wall retrofit

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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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Rigid foam or wood blocking can be installed and sealed as shown to prevent airflow through the wall cavities between two rooms of different ceiling heights.

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

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Balloon framing at a gable end wall allows air to flow from the conditioned space and the wall cavity into the attic.

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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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The stud cavities in this balloon-framed wall do not have blocking where the attic floor abuts it; this allows air to flow from inside the home to the attic above.

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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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This interior wall is intersected by two ceilings of different heights; without blocking installed at the level of the lower ceiling, a pathway for free airflow within the wall cavity or even into the attic is created.

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Mastic Home Exteriors Installation Guide

Reference

Siding installation guide for Ply Gem Siding Group products.

Ducts in Dropped Ceilings

Guide

Guide describing method for installing ducts in a duct chase in a dropped ceiling.

Ducts in Interstitial Floor Framing

Guide

Guide for designing and installing interior ducts in an interstitial floor cavity in new and existing homes.

Key elements of a wall system clad with insulated vinyl siding

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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).

All About Larsen Trusses

Reference

Website article interviewing the inventor of the Larsen truss, a history of its use, and a discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

No gasket installed at marriage wall connection prior to assembly

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