BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Right – Furring strips were installed to provide a 3/8-inch drainage plane over the rigid foam and under the fiber cement lap siding.

Publication Date

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:00

Step 5. Install sheathing tape flashing over the duct or pipe and wood blocking on either side for later attachment of trim.

Step 6. Install vent hood trim block, metal cap flashing; seal top edge of flashing with sheathing tape.

Closed-cell foam is sprayed into roof cavities along the masonry parapet wall to form a continuous air barrier between the wall and the sheathing of the flat roof

Right - This foil-faced polyisocyanurate rigid foam is installed on an existing exterior wall and the seams are taped so the rigid foam can serve as a water control layer

The exterior of the home is wrapped in a continuous layer of rigid foam with all seams taped to provide a thermal, air, and moisture barrier and serve as a drainage plane, eliminating the need for house wrap.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pine Mountain Builders, Pine Mountain, Georgia

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Organization(s)

PNNL

Publication Date

January, 2013

Case study describing a builder in Georgia that designs energy-efficient homes for a green community, yielding homes with HERS scores as lowas 59 and electric bills as low as $50 a month.

The exterior walls of this home consist of two wall cavities: a 2x6 wall with plywood sheathing plus 8-inch I-joists sheathed with engineered wood; both cavities are dense-packed with cellulose for R-60 total.

Waverly Home Addition | Exterior Cladding Details

Publication Date

February, 2014

Video describing the exterior cladding details of a residential home addition project.

The builder installed 1.5 inches of soy-based spray foam on the outside of the walls over the OSB sheathing, then kept a ¾ inch gap between the foam and the brick veneer siding to allow moisture vapor from the bricks to dissipate.

These factory-built walls consist of 9.5-inch I-studs sheathed with coated OSB, faced with OSB, and dense-packed with cellulose; a second interior surface of drywall is added to provide a 1.5-inch cavity for electrical wiring.

Right – R-23 of blown fiberglass fills the walls and unvented vaulted attic cavities of this marine-climate home while an additional R-20 (4-inches) of graphite-enhanced expanded polystyrene is installed above the roof sheathing.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:00

Are the Walls Closing In?

Author(s)

Kochkin

Organization(s)

Home Innovation Research Labs

Webinar describing research on moisture performance in high-R walls.

An Inset Shear Panel constructed with 2x4 dimensional lumber installed into a 2x6 stud bay

Publication Date

Thu, 08/12/2021 - 12:00

Glasswood Commercial Passive House Retrofit: Air Barrier

Publication Date

April, 2013

Video describing the air barrier installed in a passive house.

The existing 2x8 roof rafters were topped with OSB; two layers of 2-inch rigid foam; plywood; ice and water shield at rakes, eaves, and valleys; underlayment; and fiberglass shingles, plus 6 inches of open-cell foam under the decking.

Over the taped rigid foam board, 2x4 furring strips provide a ventilating air gap and drainage plane under the engineered wood lap siding. The furring strips were attached with structural screws to provide an attachment surface for the siding.

Low-Slope ("Flat") Roofs

A guide describing how to install low-sloped ("flat") roofs with insulation above the roof deck that resist wind pressures during high-wind events.

Right: All joints in the rigid foam are taped to keep stucco out of joints for even drying. Mesh tape (shown here) is used with expanded polystyrene (EPS); acrylic sheathing tape or self-adhered membrane is used with XPS

All About Water-Resistive Barriers

Author(s)

Holladay Martin

Organization(s)

Green Building Advisor

Publication Date

January, 2011

Article about different types of weather resistant barrier.

Wallingford Passive House | Exterior Assembly Details

Publication Date

August, 2015

Video discussing the exterior assembly details of a passive house.

Typical Concrete Tile Roofs in Florida

Building in Extreme Cold, BSI-031

Author(s)

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

February, 2010

Article describing the control layers (air, thermal, and vapor barriers) needed to build homes successfully in very cold locations.

Building America Building Science Advisor

Author(s)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

ORNL,

DOE

Publication Date

January, 2019

Web based tool providing decision-making guidance for selecting wall assembly components.

Exterior Walls (Air Sealing Sheathing)

Publication Date

June, 2017

Video showing a technique for airtight sheathing installation on exterior walls using foam gasket strips.

2021 IBC and IRC Adopt Improved Vapor Retarder Requirements

Author(s)

Crandell Jay H

Organization(s)

Applied Building Technology Group,

ABTG

Publication Date

February, 2021

Article describing vapor retarder requirements in the International Residential Code and International Building Code 2021.

Unvented roof assembly at eave retrofitted with rigid foam, spray foam, and taped top edge of existing house wrap or building paper

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

When condensation forms on the interior side of wall sheathing and is not able to dry out, it can lead to mold growth and rotting of wall sheathing and framing

Publication Date

Wed, 07/01/2020 - 12:00

Unvented roof assembly at rake retrofitted with a filler piece and taped top edge of existing house wrap or building paper to seal the top of wall-to-roof transition

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Extended Plate and Beam Wall System: Concept Investigation and Initial Evaluation

Author(s)

Wiehagen Joseph,

Kochkin Vladimir

Organization(s)

Partnership for Home Innovation,

PHI,

Home Innovation Research Labs,

HIRL

Publication Date

August, 2015

Report on high-R wall design called extended plate and beam that uses foam sheathing insulation with wall framing.

Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

Author(s)

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

September, 2020

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

Drainage Plane Behind Exterior Wall Cladding

Guide describing installation of a fully sealed continuous weather resistant barrier to provide a drainage plane to keep rainwater out of above-grade walls.

Advanced Extended Plate and Beam Wall System in a Cold-Climate House

Author(s)

Home Innovation Research Labs

Organization(s)

HIRL

Publication Date

February, 2016

Case study describing a zero energy ready home (ZERH) that was recently completed featuring an innovative wall system. This highly insulated (high-R) light-frame wall system, called the extended plate and beam (EP&B), is for use above grade in residential buildings.

Structural Sheathing (plywood/OSB) in Exterior Walls

Guide describing the need for adequate structural sheathing in exterior walls in homes in high-wind areas.

Roof Deck Sheathing and Sealing for Sloped Roofs

Guide describing requirements for sheathing and sealing the roof decking in accordance with the requirements of the IBHS Fortified Home Program's Hurricane and High Wind Standards, and other roofing considerations to increase the roof's disaster resistance.