BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Wrong - The air barrier is not sealed (picture taken from garage looking into house).

Wrong - The air barrier is not sealed (picture taken from garage looking into house).

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Right – Air barrier and penetrations sealed between porch attic and conditioned space

Right – Air barrier and penetrations sealed between porch attic and conditioned space

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Wrong - Rigid insulation blocking is installed but not air-sealed with spray foam around edges.

Wrong - Rigid insulation blocking is installed but not air-sealed with spray foam around edges.

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Right - Walls and ceilings shared by the garage and living space must be air sealed and insulated.

Right - Walls and ceilings shared by the garage and living space must be air sealed and insulated.

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Wrong - Hole around electrical box is cut too large; gap needs to be air-sealed.

Wrong - Hole around electrical box is cut too large; gap needs to be air-sealed.

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Right – Cantilever has been properly insulated, air sealed, and cavity has been blocked.

Right – Cantilever has been properly insulated, air sealed, and cavity has been blocked.

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Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1 1/2-Story Homes in Cold Climates

Reference

Report exploring alternative methods to find long-term solutions to energy loss in 1 ½-story homes to save energy, improve comfort, prevent frost buildup on the underside of the roof deck, and reduce the risk of ice dam formation/reformation.

To ensure a complete air barrier between the garage and the house, the wall between the garage and the house was insulated and air-sealed with four inches of high-density spray foam.

To ensure a complete air barrier between the garage and the house, the wall between the garage and the house was insulated and air-sealed with four inches of high-density spray foam.

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Use caulk or spray foam to air-seal all four edges of the blocking material in each joist bay.

Use caulk or spray foam to air-seal all four edges of the blocking material in each joist bay.

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After all holes through the ceiling are air-sealed and the baffles have been installed, then the insulation can be installed.

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Air-seal and insulate the rim and band joists of walls separating an attached garage from the home’s conditioned space.

Air-seal and insulate the rim and band joists of walls separating an attached garage from the home’s conditioned space.

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

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

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The base of the plywood parapet is air sealed with spray foam and fibrous insulation is installed in the rafter cavities in this flat roof retrofit

The base of the plywood parapet is air sealed with spray foam and fibrous insulation is installed in the rafter cavities in this flat roof retrofit

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Right - A “flash” seal approach with spray foam provides a continuous air barrier between the ceiling and walls of the garage and the living space.

Right - A “flash” seal approach with spray foam provides a continuous air barrier between the ceiling and walls of the garage and the living space.

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Air seal the floor above an unconditioned basement or crawlspace and make sure floor insulation is in full contact with the underside of the subfloor.

Air seal the floor above an unconditioned basement or crawlspace and make sure floor insulation is in full contact with the underside of the subfloor.

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These ICF homes are blower door tested during construction, before the drywall is installed, when air leaks can be easily sealed.

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Right – Closed-cell spray foam insulates and air-seals the rim joist above a shared wall between the garage and living space.

Right – Closed-cell spray foam insulates and air-seals the rim joist above a shared wall between the garage and living space.

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Air seal the top, bottom, and sides of a cantilevered floor cavity and ensure that insulation is in full contact with all sides without voids.

Air seal the top, bottom, and sides of a cantilevered floor cavity and ensure that insulation is in full contact with all sides without voids.

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Right-- IR photo shows how effectively spray foam insulated/air sealed attic kneewall and the floor cavities under kneewall

Right-- IR photo shows how effectively spray foam insulated/air sealed attic kneewall and the floor cavities under kneewall

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Wrong - This is a poorly sealed chase with no solid air barriers along the sides of the chase and no caulk around the electrical wires installed through the ceiling of the chase.

Wrong - This is a poorly sealed chase with no solid air barriers along the sides of the chase and no caulk around the electrical wires installed through the ceiling of the chase.

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The polyethylene ceiling vapor barrier is sealed to form an air barrier around the exhaust fan in this very cold climate location (≥ CZ 6).

The polyethylene ceiling vapor barrier is sealed to form an air barrier around the exhaust fan in this very cold climate location (≥ CZ 6).

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Right - These attic knee walls are insulated with rigid foam and sealed with spray foam to form a continuous air barrier at the gable end of this cathedral ceiling.

Right - These attic knee walls are insulated with rigid foam and sealed with spray foam to form a continuous air barrier at the gable end of this cathedral ceiling.

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Wrong - Tub or shower floor is not insulated and air-sealed with a solid barrier material between the floor joists and the tub. Plumbing pipes shouldn't be located in a cantilever.

Wrong - Tub or shower floor is not insulated and air-sealed with a solid barrier material between the floor joists and the tub. Plumbing pipes shouldn't be located in a cantilever.

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Air-seal the floor above a garage when there is living space above the garage and make sure floor insulation is in full contact with the underside of the subfloor.

Air-seal the floor above a garage when there is living space above the garage and make sure floor insulation is in full contact with the underside of the subfloor.

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Install a self-closing door with weatherstripping and thoroughly air-seal the shared house-garage walls to help keep automobile exhaust and other pollutants out of the home.

Install a self-closing door with weatherstripping and thoroughly air-seal the shared house-garage walls to help keep automobile exhaust and other pollutants out of the home.

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Right – Closed-cell spray foam insulation in the shared wall between the garage and living space helps to air-seal the wall and protect occupants from garage pollutants.

Right – Closed-cell spray foam insulation in the shared wall between the garage and living space helps to air-seal the wall and protect occupants from garage pollutants.

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When using I-joists, make sure to fill in the gaps on each side of the blocking material to air-seal the joist bay where a wall separates conditioned and unconditioned spaces.

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Roofing paper protects the top of the new plywood parapet while the base of the parapet is air sealed with spray foam and fibrous insulation is installed in the rafter cavities in this flat roof retrofit

Roofing paper protects the top of the new plywood parapet while the base of the parapet is air sealed with spray foam and fibrous insulation is installed in the rafter cavities in this flat roof retrofit

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A self-adhering weather-resistant barrier is installed over the existing sheathing of this retrofit home to provide air sealing and a drainage plane before installing new metal and wood siding on the home.

A self-adhering weather-resistant barrier is installed over the existing sheathing of this retrofit home to provide air sealing and a drainage plane before installing new metal and wood siding on the home.

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Aerosol Envelope Sealing of New Residences

Reference

Technical report describing the research behind a new aerosol-based sealing method, utilizing pressurization and a dispersed sealant fog, facilitated by a standard blower door, to automatically measure, locate, and seal air leaks in new homes in the United States, providing an efficient solution to...

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