BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Right - Closed-cell spray foam is used to retrofit an existing rubble basement foundation wall.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Interior Insulation of Masonry Walls

Author(s)

Musunuru Sravanthi,

Pettit Betsy

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

April, 2015

Report describing a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution for insulating mass masonry buildings from the interior.

Parapets – Where Roofs Meet Walls, BSI-050

Author(s)

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

April, 2012

Report covering wind loading on roofing assemblies.

Vented roof assembly at rake retrofitted with spray foam and additional insulation installed at the attic floor and extended to the rake edge

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Rigid insulation and water control layers are installed on the exterior of a flat foundation wall; spray foam insulates the rim joist

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Retrofit of cantilevered wall showing details at the outside corner for installing air sealing and rigid foam insulation in the wall and closed-cell spray foam in the overhanging floor

Retrofit of cantilevered wall with beam showing details at the outside corner for installing air sealing and rigid foam insulation in the wall and overhanging floor

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Insulating sheathing is installed on exterior of an existing framed wall with water control between existing sheathing and insulating sheathing

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Plan view of electric box installation in exterior wall showing flashing and air sealing details

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Section view of electric box installation in exterior wall showing flashing and air sealing details

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

This exterior wall retrofit permits drying to the exterior of a sill plate installed on an untreated irregular foundation wall

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

This exterior wall retrofit permits drying to the exterior of a sill plate installed on an untreated flat foundation wall

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Adding air-sealing and rigid foam insulation at the wall-to-overhanging floor juncture at the outside corner of an existing home

Publication Date

Thu, 09/10/2015 - 12:00

Make sure the beads of caulk are continuous the full length at each SIP panel seam, such as at the wall-roof seam, to maintain air barrier continuity

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2008 - 12:00

Technology Solutions Case Study: Retrofit Measures for Embedded Wood Members in Insulated Mass Masonry Walls

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

October, 2015

Case study describing retrofit measures for embedded wood members in insulated mass masonry walls.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Moisture Durability of Vapor Permeable Insulating Sheathing

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

October, 2013

Case study describing research about using exterior, vapor permeable insulation of retrofit walls with vapor permeable cavity insulation.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Cladding Attachment Over Thick Exterior Insulating Sheathing

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

November, 2013

Case study describing optimal design and limitations of cladding attachments over exterior sheathings.

Unvented roof assembly at eave retrofitted with rigid foam, spray foam, and a fully adhered membrane seal at the top of wall-to-roof transition

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Unvented roof assembly at rake retrofitted with spray foam installed along the underside of the roof deck and extended to the rake edge to insulate and air seal the attic

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Vented roof assembly at eave retrofitted with rigid foam, spray foam, and fully adhered membrane to air seal the top of wall-to-roof transition

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Retrofit of cantilevered wall with beam showing details at the outside corner for installing air sealing and rigid foam insulation plus water control membrane in the wall and overhanging floor

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

External Insulation of Masonry Walls and Wood Framed Walls

Author(s)

Baker Peter

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Publication Date

January, 2013

Research study developing baseline engineering analysis to support the installation of thick layers of exterior insulation (2 in. to 8 in.) on existing masonry walls and wood framed walls.

Side view showing how the existing garage wall and ceiling are air-sealed prior to installing rigid foam insulation on the garage side of the shared wall of an existing home.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Side view showing air-sealing and rigid foam insulation is installed over existing wall and ceiling under a room above, then covered with new gypsum board.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

With a quality installation, tape can last a long time

Publication Date

Sun, 04/01/2012 - 12:00

The “institutional” perfect wall works in all climate zones; water, air, vapor, and thermal control layers are exterior of the sheathing, assembly allows drying to interior and exterior

Publication Date

Thu, 07/01/2010 - 12:00

Foam Shrinks, and Other Lessons, PA-1201

Author(s)

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

March, 2012

Journal article describing lessons learned from updating a 16-year-old deep-energy retrofit.

Brick wall assembly for a hot-humid climate with no Class I vapor retarder and with an air gap (drained cavity) to dissipate vapor driven into the wall by the sun.

Publication Date

Sun, 10/01/2006 - 12:00

Frame wall and install blocking

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Single framed wall converted to double wall and insulated with open-cell spray foam

Publication Date

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 12:00

High-R Roofs Case Study Analysis, BA-1006

Author(s)

Straube John,

Grin Aaron

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

March, 2009

Report that considers a number of promising wall systems that can meet the requirement for better thermal control.

ETW: Wall - Double Stud with Spray Foam Wall Construction

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

November, 2014

Information sheet briefly summarizing double stud with spray foam wall construction including the advantages and disadvantages of this construction strategy.

Existing wall-to-lower roof transition retrofitted with a new strip of fully adhered air control transition membrane, new step flashing, new roof underlayment, and new cladding

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Existing wall-to-lower roof transition with a new strip of fully adhered air control transition membrane, new step flashing, new roof underlayment, and new cladding – view from eave

Existing wall-to-lower roof with attic transition with a new strip of fully adhered air control transition membrane, new step flashing, new roof underlayment, and new cladding – view from eave

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Expert Meeting Report: Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies

Author(s)

Ueno Kohta,

Van Straaten R

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

February, 2012

Expert Meeting about interior insulation retrofit of mass masonry wall assemblies held on July 30, 2011.

Spray foam extends down the inside of the foundation wall to the uninsulated slab; because the wall lacked exterior perimeter drainage, the slab was cut and an interior footing drain was installed.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Use flashing tape to seal around any pipes or vents that penetrate through the foam

Publication Date

Sun, 04/01/2012 - 12:00

Lower wall insulation installation

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Upper wall insulation installation

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Two layers of XPS are installed with staggered seams over a liquid-applied membrane on the structural sheathing

Publication Date

Sun, 04/01/2012 - 12:00

Single framed wall converted to double wall and insulated with closed-cell spray foam and loose-fill fibrous insulation

Publication Date

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 12:00

Plan view (from above) showing how the existing garage wall gypsum board is cut away to air-seal the shared wall before adding rigid foam insulation on the garage and exterior walls of the home.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Seismic and Insulation Retrofits of Solid Masonry Walls

Guide describing how to retrofit older solid masonry homes to withstand seismic activity while including energy efficient retrofits.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Affordable Cold Climate Infill Housing with Hybrid Insulation Approach, Wyandotte, Michigan

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

November, 2013

Case study describing a new construction project using high R-value enclosures with a hybrid insulation approach.

Measure Guideline: Incorporating Thick Layers of Exterior Rigid Insulation on Walls

Author(s)

Baker Peter,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

April, 2015

Report describing wall assemblies that use layers of rigid exterior insulation thicker than 1-½ inch and require a secondary cladding attachment location exterior to the insulation.

Wrong – Either this tape was not pressed down firmly or the surface was wet or dirty so the tape is not sticking properly even during construction.

Publication Date

Sun, 04/01/2012 - 12:00

Install minimum 6" wide self-adhered butyl Z-flashing

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Upper wall insulation installation with butyl z-flashing

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Water management detail for a solar panel rack mounting block installed in rigid foam that was installed over an existing roof

Publication Date

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 12:00

Existing flat roof and wood-framed walls are retrofitted with a new fully adhered air barrier membrane plus polyisocyanurate rigid foam insulation and a roofing membrane water control layer

Publication Date

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 12:00

Walls in cold climates with a polyethylene vapor barrier interior of the wall cavity should have either no exterior insulation or a vapor-open continuous insulation like mineral wool that allows drying to the exterior

Publication Date

Sun, 01/15/2017 - 12:00

Tape the joint between the top insulation sheet and the Z-flashing with 2" wide tape to improve air tightness

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Clean taping areas and install 3" tape on vertical joint of upper insulation overlapping the horizontal joint

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Rigid foam insulation can serve as the drainage plane when all seams are taped. Furring strips provide an air gap behind the cladding.

Publication Date

Sun, 04/01/2012 - 12:00

Existing low-slope (“flat”) roof and brick masonry walls with a new fully adhered air barrier membrane plus polyisocyanurate rigid foam insulation and a roofing membrane water control layer

Publication Date

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 12:00

Advanced Framing: Minimum Wall Studs

Guide describing how to frame a wall with minimal wall studs to prevent heat losses and gains through walls.

Measure Guideline: Guidance on Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

Author(s)

Grin Aaron,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

September, 2014

Measure Guideline research report providing simple, long term, and durable solutions when using tapes and flashing membranes in conjunction with the exterior face of rigid polymeric foam sheathing to create the drainage plane of a wall system.

Tape horizontal joint with minimum 3" wide tape placing tape offset high on the joint, adhearing to the upper sheet without wrinkles

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Terminate 4" tape with 2" wide tape placing tape offset high on the joint, 2/3 of the tape should be adhered to the sheet of insulation

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Insulating Existing Floor Overhang

Guide describing how to upgrade a wall with a floor overhang (or cantilever) on an existing home by adding insulation (rigid insulating sheathing and/or closed-cell spray foam) and air-sealing.

Seismic and Thermal Resistance in Slab-on-Grade Foundations with Turned-Down Footings (Monolithic Slabs)

Guide describing how to construct and retrofit homes built on slab-on-grade foundations in earthquake-prone areas to withstand seismic forces by properly installing wall to foundation connections.

Monitoring of Unvented Roofs with Fibrous Insulation, Diffusion Vents, and Interior Vapor Control in a Cold Climate

Author(s)

Ueno Kohta,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

September, 2020

Report detailing a three-winter study on unvented roof assemblies in a cold climate, assessing insulation material, ridge diffusion vent presence, vapor control membranes, relative humidity, and interstitial airflow. Results indicate that utilizing air-permeable fibrous fill insulations in unvented...

Monitoring of Unvented Roofs with Fibrous Insulation, Diffusion Vents, and Interior Vapor Control in a Cold Climate

Author(s)

Ueno Kohta,

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

September, 2020

Report detailing a three-winter study on unvented roof assemblies in a cold climate, assessing insulation material, ridge diffusion vent presence, vapor control membranes, relative humidity, and interstitial airflow; results indicate that utilizing air-permeable fibrous fill insulations in unvented...

Advanced Framing: Insulated Headers

Guide describing how to insulate headers over doors and windows to reduce heat loss and heat gain through solid wood framing.

Walls Behind Showers and Tubs

This guide describes how to install a rigid air barrier to walls behind showers and tubs.

Attic Knee Walls

Guide describing how to insulate and air-seal attic knee walls and floor joist cavities under knee walls.

Batt Insulation for Existing Vented Attics

Guide describing how to increase insulation in existing homes by installing batt insulation on the ceiling plane of a vented attic.

Advanced Framing: Insulated Interior/Exterior Wall Intersections

Guide describing how to frame and insulate exterior-to-interior wall intersections to reduce heat losses and gains though structural framing.

Air Sealing Drywall to Top Plate

Guide describing ways to seal drywall to the top plate of an exterior wall to air-seal the wall cavity.

Advanced Framing: Insulated Corners

Guide describing how to frame and insulate corners to reduce heat losses and gains though structural framing.

Flashing of Roof-Wall Intersections in Existing Homes

Guide describing how to install and properly integrate flashing at the intersection of the wall and roof on an existing home.

Stucco Over Rigid Foam Insulation

Guide describing how to install stucco over rigid foam insulation in new and existing homes.

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.

Spray Foam Insulation for Cavities of Existing Exterior Walls

Guide describing how to insulate the walls of an existing home with spray foam insulation.

Walls Behind Fireplaces

This guide describes how to install a rigid air barrier to walls behind fireplaces.

Double Walls for More Insulation

Guide describing construction and insulation techniques for double wall framing.

Exterior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Guide describing how to insulate a new foundation wall or an existing foundation wall by adding rigid insulation to the exterior side.

Air Sealing Sill Plates

Guide describing how to air-seal sill plates in single-family homes and multifamily buildings.

Flashing at Bottom of Exterior Walls

Guide describing how to apply flashing to the bottom of exterior walls to create a continuous drainage plane.

Double Wall Framing - Code Compliance Brief

Double stud wall wood framing is not specifically addressed in the International Residential Code (IRC) or International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); it is neither encouraged nor discouraged. Recommendations of where the vapor retarder and air barrier should be placed, based on research and testing are further defined in this Code Compliance Brief.