What Housewrap Does
Housewrap can be a dual-function product that that serves primarily as a water-resistive barrier but can also serve as an air barrier if it’s sealed at every seam. It usually consists of fibrous spun polyolefin plastic, but may also include other materials woven or bonded to it to help resist tearing. It is applied to the exterior of the home’s frame, protecting the structural components from water and wind that can eventually lead to mold and wood rot.
Because of the simplicity of the product and the speed at which it can be rolled out and installed unto the building exterior, framers and other trades who affix it may rush through the process, making a mess of installation and leaving the outer façade partially or completely uncovered and untidy – something that isn’t likely to be fixed by the trades that follow.
“We’ve all seen bad housewrap installations – they’re easy to spot because they’re messy and they’re messy because they’re poorly installed,” Nelson says. “The problem more often than not is that framers put it on while building the wall piece-by-piece, which increases the likelihood of shoddy installation.” Since housewrap plays such a major role in protecting the exterior of a home from deterioration and can improve its energy efficiency, Nelson offers some recommendations on getting the job done right.
All about the Installation
It’s critical to select the right housewrap for a home’s climate from the dozens of varieties available, but even before that, you’ll need to find out if a house wrap is required for code compliance in your jurisdiction. Once you’ve determined if it’s necessary to meet code, you must be sure to install the product in strict adherence to manufacturer specifications so that it functions as intended.
While manufacturer instructions for installing housewrap vary, generally there are three main tasks involved: wrapping, taping and flashing.
While the steps are simple, the devil is in the execution. As Nelson notes, more often than not, house wrap is poorly installed by one contractor and never corrected by the trades that follow. “Speed is good, but accuracy and precision are better,” he noted. He offered two recommendations for getting the job done right:
Moisture can be a common cause of building deterioration and can result in expensive corrective work for the builder and homeowners. Ensuring that housewrap installations are done correctly will help minimize the likelihood of moisture-related building damage.
[1] http://www.benjaminobdyke.com/uploads/resources/Understanding_Housewrap.pdf