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Right – Structural insulated sheathing can provide racking strength (lateral load resistance), and serve as an air barrier and thermal barrier if installed according to manufacturer’s specifications with taped, sealed seams

Right – Structural insulated sheathing can provide racking strength (lateral load resistance), and serve as an air barrier and thermal barrier if installed according to manufacturer’s specifications with taped, sealed seams

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Brick veneer framed wall supported by a concrete slab-on-grade foundation with a turn-down footing insulated on its top surface, showing anchorage of the wall to the foundation for seismic resistance

Brick veneer framed wall supported by a concrete slab-on-grade foundation with a turn-down footing insulated on its top surface, showing anchorage of the wall to the foundation for seismic resistance

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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

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

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This steel angle used for installing brick veneer on a multistory building is attached to the building with steel “clip” bracket supports that offset the angle from the building framing to reduce thermal bridging and provide room for exterior insulation

This steel angle used for installing brick veneer on a multistory building is attached to the building with steel “clip” bracket supports that offset the angle from the framing to reduce thermal bridging and provide room for exterior insulation

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Right - Stainless steel screws, which are less conductive than other types of steel, are used to attach the “double” hat channels that hold the exterior insulation in place behind the cladding on this multistory multifamily building

Right - Stainless steel screws, which are less conductive than other types of steel, are used to attach the “double” hat channels that hold the exterior insulation in place behind the cladding on this multistory multifamily building

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Steel angles for supporting brick veneer are offset from the concrete floor slabs of a multistory building by standoffs to reduce thermal bridging and allow room for rigid exterior insulation between the steel angles and the slab edges

Steel angles for supporting brick veneer are offset from the concrete floor slabs of a multistory building by standoffs to reduce thermal bridging and allow room for rigid exterior insulation between the steel angles and the slab edges

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The energy-saving double wall construction uses two side-by-side stud walls, providing an extra-thick wall cavity that can be filled with more than twice as much insulation as a 2x6 wall.

The energy-saving double wall construction uses two side-by-side stud walls, providing an extra-thick wall cavity that can be filled with more than twice as much insulation as a 2x6 wall.

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Masonry wall interior retrofit with parge coat, fluid-applied water control layer, rigid mineral wool, wood-framed wall with cavity insulation, smart vapor barrier, and wood or metal service cavity

Masonry wall interior retrofit with parge coat, fluid-applied water control layer, rigid mineral wool, wood-framed wall with cavity insulation, smart vapor barrier, and wood or metal service cavity

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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

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

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This basement is insulated on the exterior with rigid foam over dampproofing, with granular backfill and footing drains to facilitate drainage away from the foundation, a termite shield to protect from pests, and cellular PVC to protect the rigid foam.

This basement is insulated on the exterior with rigid foam over dampproofing, with granular backfill and footing drains to facilitate drainage away from the foundation, a termite shield to protect from pests, and cellular PVC to protect the rigid foam.

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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.

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.

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The builder in this very cold climate installed three layers of unfaced mineral wool batt in the double wall with a code-required vapor barrier between the middle and inner layers of wall insulation that is taped to barriers in the ceiling and floor.

The builder in this very cold climate installed three layers of unfaced mineral wool batt in the double wall with a code-required vapor barrier between the middle and inner layers of wall insulation that is taped to barriers in the ceiling and floor.

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Brick veneer is supported by a concrete stem wall thermally separated from the slab-on-grade foundation with turn-down footing which is also insulated on top; anchorage for seismic resistance is also shown

Brick veneer is supported by a concrete stem wall thermally separated from the slab-on-grade foundation with turn-down footing which is also insulated on top; anchorage for seismic resistance is also shown

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The dark purple areas and long streaks in this IR camera image show extreme cold spots along the top of the walls, indicating a lack of both air sealing and insulation above the top plates of these walls.

The dark purple areas and long streaks in this IR camera image show extreme cold spots along the top of the walls, indicating a lack of both air sealing and insulation above the top plates of these walls.

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Right - Permeable rigid mineral wool insulation and appropriate water-management flashing details are integrated with new rigid foam siding to keep water away from the sill beam above the foundation wall

Right - Permeable rigid mineral wool insulation and appropriate water-management flashing details are integrated with new rigid foam siding to keep water away from the sill beam above the foundation wall

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Right – the 2x6 walls are insulated with a flash-and-batt approach that includes spraying the wall cavities with one inch of open-cell foam to seal the sheathing to the framing then filling the wall cavities with R-19 fiberglass batts that are compressed slightly to fill the cavities.

Right – the 2x6 walls are insulated with a flash-and-batt approach that includes spraying the wall cavities with one inch of open-cell foam to seal the sheathing to the framing then filling the wall cavities with R-19 fiberglass batts that are compressed

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Plan view of exterior masonry brick wall retrofitted with furring strips, three layers of rigid foam insulation staggered and taped at the seams, and 1x4 furring strips to provide a nailing surface and ventilation gap under lap siding

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This home’s exterior walls include Larsen trusses, 9-inch I-joists attached through exterior sheathing to wall studs creating a 9-inch wall cavity that was filled with blown insulation and forms extra deep windowsills.

This home’s exterior walls include Larsen trusses, 9-inch I-joists attached through exterior sheathing to wall studs creating a 9-inch wall cavity that was filled with blown insulation and forms extra deep windowsills.

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Right – This home is framed with double walls – two 2x4 walls set next to each other then sheathed with OSB on the exterior and netted on the interior face to create an extra-deep wall cavity that can be filled with blown-in insulation.

Right – This home is framed with double walls – two 2x4 walls set next to each other then sheathed with OSB on the exterior and netted on the interior face to create an extra-deep wall cavity that can be filled with blown-in insulation.

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In this exterior wall retrofit of a masonry brick home, first the brick was covered with a fluid-applied water and air control layer (white), then 2x4 furring strips and two layers of rigid foam insulation, then 1x4 furring strips to attach cladding to

In this exterior wall retrofit of a masonry brick home, first the brick was covered with a fluid-applied water and air control layer (white), then 2x4 furring strips and two layers of rigid foam insulation, then 1x4 furring strips to attach cladding to

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Plan view of exterior masonry brick wall retrofitted with furring strips, three layers of rigid mineral wool insulation staggered and taped at the seams, and topped with metal hat channel providing a ventilation gap surface to nail under the lap siding

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Advanced framing techniques including 2x6 walls spaced at 24 inches on center and ladder blocking at wall intersections allow more space for insulation in the wall cavities while open-web floor joists provide space between floors for ducting.

Advanced framing techniques including 2x6 walls spaced at 24 inches on center and ladder blocking at wall intersections allow more space for insulation in the wall cavities while open-web floor joists provide space between floors for ducting.

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HVAC ducts, cavities used as ducts, and combustion inlets and outlets may pass perpendicularly through exterior walls but shall not be run within exterior walls unless at least R-6 continuous insulation is provided on exterior side of the cavity

HVAC ducts, cavities used as ducts, and combustion inlets and outlets may pass perpendicularly through exterior walls but shall not be run within exterior walls unless at least R-6 continuous insulation is provided on exterior side of the cavity

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Right – The window header is filled with spray foam and sealant is used to air seal wood-to-wood seams; however, it would be preferable to design the wall to avoid so many stacked studs around the windows because they prevent the installation of wall insulation and lead to cold spots.

Right – The window header is filled with spray foam and sealant is used to air seal wood-to-wood seams; however, it would be preferable to design the wall to avoid so many stacked studs around the windows because they prevent wall insulation installation.

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This close-up of an exterior wall retrofit of a masonry brick home shows the fluid-applied water and air control layer (white), 2x4 furring strips and two layers of rigid foam insulation (pink), then 1x4 furring which provides a ventilation gap

This close-up of an exterior wall retrofit of a masonry brick home shows the fluid-applied water and air control layer (white), 2x4 furring strips and two layers of rigid foam insulation (pink), then 1x4 furring which provides a ventilation gap

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Each floor of this two-story modular home is constructed in a factory, including the 2x6, 24-inch on-center walls, R-21 fiberglass batt cavity insulation, and rigid exterior foam, housewrap, windows, and trim, then connected on site.

Each floor of this two-story modular home is constructed in a factory, including the 2x6, 24-inch on-center walls, R-21 fiberglass batt cavity insulation, and rigid exterior foam, housewrap, windows, and trim, then connected on site.

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The exterior walls are double walls consisting of two 2x4 stud walls set 3 inches apart to form a 10-inch-thick wall cavity that is filled with blown-in fiberglass to provide a continuous R-40 blanket of insulation around the home.

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Skylight Shaft Walls

Guide

Guide describing insulation techniques for skylight shaft walls.

Walls Adjoining Porch Roof

Guide

This guide describes how to install a rigid air barrier to separate the porch attic from the conditioned space.

ROXUL Mineral Wool | Madrona Passive House

Video

Video describing the installation of mineral wool monolithic exterior insulation.

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