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Right-Wall-insulating sheathing is extended up to roof rafters and sealed around the framing with spray foam

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Air Barriers - Tub, Shower and Fireplace Enclosures, Info-407

Reference

Brochure about creating an air barrier at tub, shower and fireplace walls.

Your Northern Home: Air Leakage/ Blower Door Test

Video

Video describing a house air leakage test and the most common leakage sources for an Alaskan house.

Wrong – These holes have been cut larger than needed, making them difficult to seal.

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Technology Solutions Case Study: Sealed Crawl Space with Integrated Whole-House Ventilation in a Cold Climate

Case Study

Case study describing methods to seal crawl spaces in cold climate homes with integrated whole-house ventilation systems.

Air leaking through the home's envelope wastes a lot of energy and increases energy costs.

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Wrong - The opening in the foundation wall around this pipe has not been sealed allowing entry for rodents and bugs

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Technology Solutions Case Study: Complete and Fully Aligned Air Barrier

Case Study

Case study describing the elimination of excessive humidity in the attic of a multi-floor, single-family home that was causing condensation and water damage along the roof and eaves.

Your Northern Home: Attics/Air leakage/Stack effect

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center on how warm air typically leaks out of homes through attics via the stack effect and how to mitigate these effects through building practices.

Right – This attic knee wall and the floor joist cavity openings beneath it are being sealed and insulated with spray foam.

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Contractors use a blower door to measure overall house air leakage.

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Standard Specification for Elastomeric Cellular Preformed Gasket and Sealing Material, ASTM C509-06(2021)

Reference

Standard specification covering elastomeric cellular preformed gasket and sealing materials. This version of the standard was published in the year 2021 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. Other versions of the standard were published in the years 2015, 2011, 2006, and...

Standard Specification for Elastomeric Cellular Preformed Gasket and Sealing Material, ASTM C509-06(2011)

Reference

Standard specification covering elastomeric cellular preformed gasket and sealing materials. This version of the standard was published in the year 2011 and is available for preview and purchase at the reference link. Other versions of the standard were published in the years 2021, 2015, 2006, and...

In a non-compartmentalized multistory multifamily building, the stack effect can pull outside air in through leaks at lower floors and push air out through leaks in the upper envelope.

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Spray foam provides a critical seal between the subfloor, rim joist, and sill plate

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This bottom seal on this garage door looks fairly tight, except in the right corner where there is 4-inch gap.

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Wrong – If a wall vapor retarder is needed, as in this cold-climate home, openings in the vapor retarder should be sealed with tape.

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The purple streaks in this IR camera image indicate air leakage along the top plates, which is allowing cold air to be pulled from the attic into the wall cavities of this interior wall.

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All of the ductwork for the efficient (8.5 HSPF, 15 SEER) heat pump is mastic sealed and installed in conditioned space.

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Seal seams in fiber board ducts with out-clinching staples, UL-181A-approved tape, and mastic

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Conducting a Residential Duct Leakage Test and Blower Door Test: Calculating whole-house air leakage in ACH 50 from cfm air leakage and house volume

Video

Video describing how to conduct a residential blower door and duct blaster test, including how to calculate the home’s whole-house air leakage in air changes per hour using the cfm reading and the home’s volume in cubic feet. Video 6 of 9.

High Performance Building Details - Garage Band Joist Air Barrier

Reference

Information sheet about air barriers.

Wrong – These plumbing penetrations have been cut larger than needed, making them difficult to seal.

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Novel, Simplified Air Delivery System Design Gets Commercialized

Reference

Fact sheet describing a novel, simplified air delivery system using a plug-and-play model that features 3-inch diameter flexible ducts, efficient fittings, and a simplified installation process that resulted in successful market engagement through commercialization.

Right – Coated OSB provides a weather-resistant air barrier for this envelope of this home.

Canned spray foam is an excellent sealant for sealing cracks, seams, and holes around pipes up to a half inch in diameter.

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Electrical outlet boxes can come with built-in gaskets or holes in the box can be sealed with a fire-rated sealant

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The attic kneewall and the open floor cavities under kneewall are both sealed and insulated in one step with spray foam insulation

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Right-Wall-insulating sheathing is extended up to roof rafters and sealed around the framing with spray foam

Air Barriers - Tub, Shower and Fireplace Enclosures, Info-407

Your Northern Home: Air Leakage/ Blower Door Test

Wrong – These holes have been cut larger than needed, making them difficult to seal.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Sealed Crawl Space with Integrated Whole-House Ventilation in a Cold Climate

Air leaking through the home's envelope wastes a lot of energy and increases energy costs.

Wrong - The opening in the foundation wall around this pipe has not been sealed allowing entry for rodents and bugs

Technology Solutions Case Study: Complete and Fully Aligned Air Barrier

Your Northern Home: Attics/Air leakage/Stack effect

Right – This attic knee wall and the floor joist cavity openings beneath it are being sealed and insulated with spray foam.

Contractors use a blower door to measure overall house air leakage.

Standard Specification for Elastomeric Cellular Preformed Gasket and Sealing Material, ASTM C509-06(2021)

Standard Specification for Elastomeric Cellular Preformed Gasket and Sealing Material, ASTM C509-06(2011)

In a non-compartmentalized multistory multifamily building, the stack effect can pull outside air in through leaks at lower floors and push air out through leaks in the upper envelope.

Spray foam provides a critical seal between the subfloor, rim joist, and sill plate

This bottom seal on this garage door looks fairly tight, except in the right corner where there is 4-inch gap.

Wrong – If a wall vapor retarder is needed, as in this cold-climate home, openings in the vapor retarder should be sealed with tape.

The purple streaks in this IR camera image indicate air leakage along the top plates, which is allowing cold air to be pulled from the attic into the wall cavities of this interior wall.

All of the ductwork for the efficient (8.5 HSPF, 15 SEER) heat pump is mastic sealed and installed in conditioned space.

Seal seams in fiber board ducts with out-clinching staples, UL-181A-approved tape, and mastic

Conducting a Residential Duct Leakage Test and Blower Door Test: Calculating whole-house air leakage in ACH 50 from cfm air leakage and house volume

High Performance Building Details - Garage Band Joist Air Barrier

Wrong – These plumbing penetrations have been cut larger than needed, making them difficult to seal.

Novel, Simplified Air Delivery System Design Gets Commercialized

Right – Coated OSB provides a weather-resistant air barrier for this envelope of this home.

Gaps at shared common walls can be a significant source of air leakage in multi-family buildings

SMACNA HVAC Air Duct Leakage Test Manual (first edition)

Canned spray foam is an excellent sealant for sealing cracks, seams, and holes around pipes up to a half inch in diameter.

Electrical outlet boxes can come with built-in gaskets or holes in the box can be sealed with a fire-rated sealant

The attic kneewall and the open floor cavities under kneewall are both sealed and insulated in one step with spray foam insulation