Comments on: Building Gaskets and Air Sealing Tape http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/ The former home of the 100k Blog Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: jon http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-7249 jon Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:20:45 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-7249 The Vycor system looks cool, and it's advantage is that the shell can stand raw to the weather for a few months, if need be. It also theoetically allows you to avoid having to install vapor barriers on the exterior, or ice and water shield on the roof. But most builders won't trust the product to perform successfully, so you wind up with two layered systems. In heating climates, I'd be very concerned about using and exterior sealing tape. You want a tight air barrier on the interior of the house, and assume that moisture will get into the walls and need to migrate out. If that moisture can't get out, you're likely to have mold or rot starting behind the sheathing, where you won't discover it until a great deal of damage is done. The Vycor system looks cool, and it’s advantage is that the shell can stand raw to the weather for a few months, if need be. It also theoetically allows you to avoid having to install vapor barriers on the exterior, or ice and water shield on the roof. But most builders won’t trust the product to perform successfully, so you wind up with two layered systems.

In heating climates, I’d be very concerned about using and exterior sealing tape. You want a tight air barrier on the interior of the house, and assume that moisture will get into the walls and need to migrate out. If that moisture can’t get out, you’re likely to have mold or rot starting behind the sheathing, where you won’t discover it until a great deal of damage is done.

]]> By: Kris http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-6844 Kris Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:20:11 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-6844 My understanding is that SIPs should be taped on the inside seams since the SIPs are acting as your interior vapor barrier they need to be tightly sealed at all seams and where you install electrical boxes or other penetrations. My understanding is that SIPs should be taped on the inside seams since the SIPs are acting as your interior vapor barrier they need to be tightly sealed at all seams and where you install electrical boxes or other penetrations.

]]> By: Framing in LEED house in Fishtown http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-6551 Framing in LEED house in Fishtown Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:30:30 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-6551 [...] much better performance than caulk or construction adhesive and the cost is competitive. Check out Chad’s post on building gaskets over at the 100k [...] [...] much better performance than caulk or construction adhesive and the cost is competitive. Check out Chad’s post on building gaskets over at the 100k [...]

]]> By: building gaskets | Root Design Build - Green Homes http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-6267 building gaskets | Root Design Build - Green Homes Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:43:13 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-6267 [...] a queue from the 100k house blog, a great resource from a group of Passive House designers and developers based in Philadelphia, we [...] [...] a queue from the 100k house blog, a great resource from a group of Passive House designers and developers based in Philadelphia, we [...]

]]> By: Mike Schettine http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-5706 Mike Schettine Fri, 14 May 2010 21:10:09 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-5706 We combine the 16"& 24" stud layout on a gasket that seals the entire envolope in the same pass...Gaskets have proven to be effective but they were dismissed because they slow down the framing crew. Now they have a reason to use AccuFrame Zap-Gap because they get both speed in layout and quaility control as our stud layouts has two lines with X to locate the stud...no more, "he studs on the wong line stuff" We combine the 16″& 24″ stud layout on a gasket that seals the entire envolope in the same pass…Gaskets have proven to be effective but they were dismissed because they slow down the framing crew. Now they have a reason to use AccuFrame Zap-Gap
because they get both speed in layout and quaility control as our stud layouts has two lines with X to locate the stud…no more, “he studs on the wong line stuff”

]]> By: chad http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-4861 chad Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:09:45 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-4861 I would recommend taping the exterior seams and then Tyveking over and taping those seams. What size Vycor you use is up to you, but I'd probably go with the 6" for minimal upcharge. The larger size will also be more effective if you are also using it to flash your windows and doors. As important as these measures, if not more, is ensuring that your framing crew is following all of the SIP manufacturers details to a 'T'. Using the correct amount of construction adhesive and correct joining methods is critical to getting the most air tightness out of your SIP structure. If your crew is cutting corners here, you are losing a lot of the value of SIPs from day one... Good luck! I would recommend taping the exterior seams and then Tyveking over and taping those seams. What size Vycor you use is up to you, but I’d probably go with the 6″ for minimal upcharge. The larger size will also be more effective if you are also using it to flash your windows and doors.

As important as these measures, if not more, is ensuring that your framing crew is following all of the SIP manufacturers details to a ‘T’. Using the correct amount of construction adhesive and correct joining methods is critical to getting the most air tightness out of your SIP structure. If your crew is cutting corners here, you are losing a lot of the value of SIPs from day one…

Good luck!

]]> By: Jim C http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-4858 Jim C Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:17:42 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-4858 Chad, my builders will be putting up tyvek and window flashing next week on 6 inch sip house. Did you seal all of your sip panels on the interior or exterior seams? 4 or 6 inch vycor flashing tape? I want to tape all the sip seams before the tyvek, I'd prefer to tape the exterior. Chad, my builders will be putting up tyvek and window flashing next week on 6 inch sip house. Did you seal all of your sip panels on the interior or exterior seams? 4 or 6 inch vycor flashing tape? I want to tape all the sip seams before the tyvek, I’d prefer to tape the exterior.

]]> By: chad http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-4823 chad Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:04:54 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-4823 We're thinking of hosting a party after rough framing is complete for the crew if we hit our initial air-sealing target. It's our firm belief at Postgreen that good food and beer can be a better motivator than just plain old cash (that the actual workers may not even see). This could also be a chance for the framing crew to invite some family and friends to see their work and accomplishment, which I doubt happens very often in their field. We’re thinking of hosting a party after rough framing is complete for the crew if we hit our initial air-sealing target. It’s our firm belief at Postgreen that good food and beer can be a better motivator than just plain old cash (that the actual workers may not even see).

This could also be a chance for the framing crew to invite some family and friends to see their work and accomplishment, which I doubt happens very often in their field.

]]> By: Jesse Thompson http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-4768 Jesse Thompson Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:04:15 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-4768 Goran, You can offer financial incentives, and it can work well. What we have seen several times now is that crews who have not worked on a well air-sealed project generally grumble at first and are worried about looking bad with a process they haven't tried yet, but once they get involved in the air sealing process, they end up with a huge amount of pride in the end at hitting the target. Framers especially don't have much opportunities to boast since their work gets hidden so quickly, but they are the crew who carries most of the air sealing weight. On the last few projects lately the PM ended up telling all his friends about the CFM50 they hit every chance he got, and showed up for the blower door test early to make sure they didn't look bad. It's great to see, they get converted really easily and because air sealing in rough framing is actually a fun process, it's like detective work. Trying to hit 0.6 ACH50 on the first attempt with a new crew would be very difficult, but 1.0 or 1.5 ACH50 is very attainable with new construction. Jesse Thompson Kaplan Thompson Architects Goran,

You can offer financial incentives, and it can work well. What we have seen several times now is that crews who have not worked on a well air-sealed project generally grumble at first and are worried about looking bad with a process they haven’t tried yet, but once they get involved in the air sealing process, they end up with a huge amount of pride in the end at hitting the target.

Framers especially don’t have much opportunities to boast since their work gets hidden so quickly, but they are the crew who carries most of the air sealing weight. On the last few projects lately the PM ended up telling all his friends about the CFM50 they hit every chance he got, and showed up for the blower door test early to make sure they didn’t look bad. It’s great to see, they get converted really easily and because air sealing in rough framing is actually a fun process, it’s like detective work.

Trying to hit 0.6 ACH50 on the first attempt with a new crew would be very difficult, but 1.0 or 1.5 ACH50 is very attainable with new construction.

Jesse Thompson
Kaplan Thompson Architects

]]> By: goran http://www.100khouse.com/2009/10/30/building-gaskets-and-air-sealing-tape/comment-page-1/#comment-4765 goran Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:16:12 +0000 http://www.100khouse.com/?p=1418#comment-4765 Chad, thanks for that post. Its tough not meeting the air sealing objectives on the Passive House projects, but it looks like you've done a very good job of turning it into a learning experience, and turned it into a step forward for PostGreen becoming a premier Green builder. I had been thinking of engaging ISA to a Passive House redesign of our home in NJ, but held off because I couldn't find a builder I was confident could build the project to specs. It looks like this is actually much tougher than I'd thought. Your post gives us information that can help select a builder in the future. I was wondering whether it would be possible to create financial incentives for construction crews to meet infiltration targets? I'm guessing its not. The construction crews are going to rely on you (and the architect), to provide them with techniques to do the sealing. If the techniques they're provided doing work, its difficult to say whether its because: the techniques are inadequate, the skill levels required for the techniques to succeed are excessive, or the construction crew is not conscientious. And its not fair to crew if its one of the 1st two. The problem is, there are no construction standards yet for the levels of air tightness you're trying to achieve. Good work. Chad, thanks for that post. Its tough not meeting the air sealing objectives on the Passive House projects, but it looks like you’ve done a very good job of turning it into a learning experience, and turned it into a step forward for PostGreen becoming a premier Green builder.

I had been thinking of engaging ISA to a Passive House redesign of our home in NJ, but held off because I couldn’t find a builder I was confident could build the project to specs. It looks like this is actually much tougher than I’d thought. Your post gives us information that can help select a builder in the future.

I was wondering whether it would be possible to create financial incentives for construction crews to meet infiltration targets? I’m guessing its not. The construction crews are going to rely on you (and the architect), to provide them with techniques to do the sealing. If the techniques they’re provided doing work, its difficult to say whether its because: the techniques are inadequate, the skill levels required for the techniques to succeed are excessive, or the construction crew is not conscientious. And its not fair to crew if its one of the 1st two. The problem is, there are no construction standards yet for the levels of air tightness you’re trying to achieve.

Good work.

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