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Balloon framing at a gable end wall allows air to flow from the conditioned space and the wall cavity into the attic.

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Pumpkin Ridge Passive House Video #13: Completed Wall-to-Attic Air Barrier Details

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Video describing the wall-to-attic air barrier details of a passive house.

. Install sheet metal to cover the gaps around a flue pipe in the attic; attach with screws or heavy staples, then seal seams with fire-rated caulk or foam

Install sheet metal to cover the gaps around a flue pipe in the attic; attach with screws or heavy staples, then seal seams with fire-rated caulk or foam

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Wrong: open wall cavity connected to this return air plenum is allowing cellulose attic insulation to be pulled into the furnace

Wrong: open wall cavity connected to this return air plenum is allowing cellulose attic insulation to be pulled into the furnace

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Framing is sequenced to install an air barrier of OSB, plywood, or rigid foam between the porch and the attic.

Framing is sequenced to install an air barrier of OSB, plywood, or rigid foam between the porch and the attic.

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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

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

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Furnace and chimney flues often have large gaps around them that allow air leakage from the home into the attic.

Furnace and chimney flues often have large gaps around them that allow air leakage from the home into the attic.

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Right - Spray foam insulation has been sprayed onto the underside of the sloped roof and the gable end wall to provide a sealed, insulated attic for housing the HVAC ducts

Right - Spray foam insulation has been sprayed onto the underside of the sloped roof and the gable end wall to provide a sealed, insulated attic for housing the HVAC ducts

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The stud cavities in this balloon-framed wall do not have blocking where the attic floor abuts it; this allows air to flow from inside the home to the attic above.

The stud cavities in this balloon-framed wall do not have blocking where the attic floor abuts it; this allows air to flow from inside the home to the attic above.

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Clean the attic floor of debris prior to installing new attic insulation. Use baffles to provide a path for ventilation air entering the attic from the soffit vents

Clean the attic floor of debris prior to installing new attic insulation. Use baffles to provide a path for ventilation air entering the attic from the soffit vents

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An IR camera image shows gaps around HVAC flue pipes allow conditioned air to leak through blown fiberglass into the attic

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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

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

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Wrong: This wall cavity is open to the attic allowing unconditioned, attic air to enter the HVAC system, bypassing the filter, and degrading system life and performance

Wrong: This wall cavity is open to the attic allowing unconditioned, attic air to enter the HVAC system, bypassing the filter, and degrading system life and performance

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This kneewall has no top plate and the resulting gap provides a wide-open pathway for air and vapor to travel between the living space and the attic

This kneewall has no top plate and the resulting gap provides a wide-open pathway for air and vapor to travel between the living space and the attic

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This exhaust fan duct opens into the attic rather than exiting through the roof and mold has begun to form on the underside of the deck sheathing and on the rafter due to the moist air exiting the duct

This exhaust fan duct opens into the attic rather than exiting through the roof and mold has begun to form on the underside of the deck sheathing and on the rafter due to the moist air exiting the duct

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The dark purple lines and streaks around the attic access hatch and along the wall top plate in this infrared camera image indicate air leakage that could be fixed with weather stripping around the access hatch and spray foam over the top plate

The dark purple lines and streaks around the attic access hatch and along the wall top plate in this infrared camera image indicate air leakage that could be fixed with weather stripping around the access hatch and spray foam over the top plate.

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Shafts (e.g., Duct, Flue)

Video

Video describing how to air seal shafts, ducts, and flues.

Encapsulated Ducts

Video

Video describing air sealing and insulation for encapsulated ducts.

Install Top Plates or Blocking at the Top of Walls Adjoining Unconditioned Spaces

Guide

Guide describing how to correctly air-seal a wall with missing top plates or open wall cavities.

Attic Knee Walls

Guide

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

Dropped Ceiling/Soffit Below Unconditioned Attic

Video

Video describing how to air-seal soffits below attics.

Attic Knee Walls

Video

Video describing how to insulate and air seal attic knee walls.

This interior wall is intersected by two ceilings of different heights; without blocking installed at the level of the lower ceiling, a pathway for free airflow within the wall cavity or even into the attic is created.

This interior wall is intersected by two ceilings of different heights; without blocking installed at the level of the lower ceiling, a pathway for free airflow within the wall cavity or even into the attic is created.

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Wind Washing

Guide

Guide describing wind washing of insulation in the eaves of vented attics and how to prevent it.

Dropped Ceiling/Soffit Below Unconditioned Attic

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate and air-seal dropped ceilings and soffits to prevent air leakage.

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Deep Energy Retrofit in the Pacific Northwest

Case Study

Case study describing a whole-house, deep energy retrofit project in the marine climate.

Ducts in Raised Ceiling Sections

Guide

Guide describing method for designing and installing ducts in a raised ceiling chase.

Blown Insulation for Existing Vented Attic

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate a vented attic in an existing home using blown insulation added to the attic floor.

Application of Spray Foam Insulation Under Plywood and OSB Roof Sheathing

Video

Video describing how to air seal attic rafters with spray foam.

Batt insulation is installed in two layers in perpendicular directions against the baffle to full required insulation height

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