Keep Moisture Out! The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes

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1 Keep Moisture Out! The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes Think your houses are moisture resistant? Think again: You may be building with outdated products and techniques that could cost you big when the callbacks start. BROUGHT TO YOU BY +

2 MOISTURE CONTROL IN HOMES IS A top-ofmind issue for homeowners, who worry about issues from unhealthy indoor air caused by mold to water infiltration causing expensive maintenance or repair. And, as a builder, you worry about it too. After all, your reputation as a high-quality builder is always on the line. One area of home building where new products have proved to be game changers is in the air/moisture barrier category. Today, housewrap is the most commonly used air/moisture barrier. This is a product you probably know well and have used since you started building. But traditional housewraps have limitations that can affect performance. Attached with nails or staples, housewrap may have gaps that allow air infiltration and water leakage. It also can tear away from the fasteners or dislodge with wind gusts. It only takes your crew one bad day to open the door to moisture problems and even bigger problems with callbacks. BUILD A BETTER PERFORMING HOME Fluid-applied barriers are emerging as a superior alternative to sheet wraps. One proven product in this category is StoGuard, which is a system of products that works together to form an air and moisture barrier on vertical, above-grade surfaces of buildings. The system generally consists of a field treatment (various sheathing or CMU substrates), flashing for rough openings and penetrations, a joint and seam treatment, and a flexible transition membrane for use at movement joints or other transitions. (StoGuard systems may not be used as air barriers for roofs or as a means of below-grade waterproofing.) Durability advantages are gained from the structural bond of StoGuard to the substrate. StoGuard is primarily made up of liquid products which are either sprayed, rolled, or spread onto surfaces. It forms a chemical bond with the substrate which cannot tear or lose adhesion, protecting a home for the lifetime of the building. Liquid technology also allows for faster, easier Spray or roll application of the air barrier and reduces the risk of improper installation, explains Lauren E. Green, Residential Business Development Specialist for StoGuard. Accessories mesh, fabric, and transition membrane products are embedded and sealed within the StoGuard liquid products to further simplify application. Of note, StoGuard is the only fluid-applied air and moisture barrier material that has been evaluated by ICC-ES and CCMC and received national recognition in the United States as an air barrier and water-resistive barrier and in Canada as an airbarrier material and sheathing membrane. MAKE INSTALL EASY Switching from housewrap to a fluid-applied system is simple. StoGuard installs easily by paint contractors, waterproofers or EIFS/stucco contractors without special training. Sto Gold Coat can be applied with an airless sprayer, roller, or brush for the same smooth continuous protection. Unlike some solventbased materials, StoGuard has low VOCs and is water-based. No additional breathing apparatus or special handling is necessary. In a third-party time study, StoGuard installed three times faster than sheet wraps. The researchers compared and evaluated the application times of StoGuard products and the leading StoGuard in a Nutshell Fluid-applied Air/Moisture Barrier Code Approved ASHRAE, IRC, IBC, IECC Warranted Water-based Class A, NFPA 285 compliant Fully Monolithic Flexible, seamless, durable Easy to install spunbonded olefin sheet wrap. Using a 672-square-foot building to represent typical commercial conditions, application technicians installed each product according to its respective installation guidelines. The results of the study confirmed that installing StoGuard fluid applied membrane is faster and easier compared to sheet wraps, Green says. This edge in application time can save contractors up to 70 percent in labor costs. Check out more on the study here. This resource even includes a handy StoGuard vs. Sheet Wraps Worksheet to help you calculate total installed cost. 2 The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes

3 THE ENERGY-EFFICIENCY EDGE A key advantage to using StoGuard is that it can help you comply with ever-changing building codes. Rising energy costs and environmental concerns have driven changes in energy codes and in construction practices, which are aimed at reducing energy consumption. Controlling conductive heat transfer through exterior walls and controlling air leakage through the building enclosure are two key aspects to reducing energy consumption. Current U.S. energy codes require continuous insulation for wood frame construction in at least six of the eight U.S. climate zones 1 (with some exceptions if cavity insulation is increased or alternatives to the prescriptive compliance path are followed), while there are continuous air barrier requirements in all eight climate zones. Studies back up this tightening of codes and the use of air barriers. According to U.S. Department of Energy statistics up to 40% of the energy consumed to heat or cool a building is due to air leakage into and out of the building. And a study of commercial buildings by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) confirmed that air barriers promote energy savings ranging from 30-40% for heating climates and 10-15% for cooling climates. Using StoGuard helps prevent air leakage and thus reduces energy costs. StoGuard participated in a modeling program, which studied new and retrofit applications. The study results indicated that controlling air leakage has a larger impact on energy efficiency than increasing insulation. Click here to download the study. GET THE GREEN EDGE Using StoGuard promotes sustainability for a few reasons. First, unlike the many asphaltic or bituminous products on the What s Wrong With Housewrap? Common building wraps used in residential structures can fall down on the job. Improper installation and multiple seams can allow water penetration. Damage during and after installation can compromise performance. Exposure to the weather can tear paper and fabric wraps away from the structure. The longer the exposure the greater the danger. Even when installed properly, cycles of wind pressure can tear the wraps after the cladding has been installed. market, this product is water-based. It is safe to use, and cleans with water. The low-voc product meets U.S. and Canadian air quality standards, including the strictest standard, SCAQMD Rule In addition air barriers improve indoor air quality by limiting infiltration of outside air which can introduce allergens and pollutants into indoor air. Using StoGuard equates to efficient resource use, Green says. By requiring less material for an effective air barrier, the product can contribute to the sustainability of building projects. Read the following three pages for detailed drawings on the 12 Critical Details for Air/Moisture Management as well as two case studies that show Sto in actual applications. 1 With some exceptions if cavity insulation is increased or alternatives to the prescriptive compliance path are followed. Sto Corp. hired Jackson Productivity Research Inc. to objectively compare and evaluate the application times of StoGuard products and the leading spunbonded olefin sheet wrap. The results confirmed that installing StoGuard fluid applied membrane is faster and easier compared to sheet wraps. This edge in application time can save contractors up to 70 percent in labor costs. PRODUCT APPLICATION STEPS*** TOTAL MAN-MINUTES** MAN-MINUTES PER SQ/FT TOTAL TIME StoGuard Spray Sto EmeraldCoa t = minutes per sq ft 1.15 MAN-HOURS Joint Treatment = minutes per sq ft Spunbonded Olefin Sheet Wrap Roll onto wall and tape seams = minutes per sq ft 4.34 MAN-HOURS Screw in cap fasteners = minutes per sq ft 3 The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes

4 12 Critical Details for Air/Moisture Management Water intrusion into wall assemblies has become a growing concern in the construction industry, yet water intrusion can be prevented simply by following sound construction practices as illustrated here Terminate grade 8 (203 mm) below cladding Provide flashing at decks Provide diverter flashing at roof/sidewall terminations Provide flashing over build-outs Protect rough openings Provide sill flashing beneath windows Provide head flashing above windows & doors Seal around window & door penetrations Seal around wall penetrations Provide joints at required locations and seal Provide coping over parapets Provide saddle flashing at lower/higher walls 4 The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes

5 StoGuard in Action: Atlanta Small-volume builder Jason Jackoniski, owner of Arc & Angle Home Builders, and member of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Earth Craft House, was interested in trying StoGuard when he learned about its benefits. It is the extra things you do to make houses better than others, Jackoniski says. There are so many changes in home building that you can t rely on the old practices you have to try new, innovative products to keep up and get ahead. BEFORE The home Jackoniski tested StoGuard on is in Serenbe in Palmetto, Ga., an innovative community offering sustainable homes, homeowner s stables, walking trails, a bonfire pavilion, shops, restaurants, and an inn. I believe in building good quality homes, and StoGuard fits into that mindset, Jackoniski says. StoGuard was installed on the home by Stucco and Masonry Renovators. The owner, Ernesto Medina, and crew from Stucco and Masonry Renovators have been installing Sto products for several years in metropolitan Atlanta and have found a niche in the Atlanta market focusing on repair work and spray-on air/ moisture barriers. StoGuard fits right into our business portfolio, as contractors usually sub out the installation of house wraps, says Medina. We have had excellent response from luxury home owners and builders who have chosen StoGuard. The product makes the house weather proof and waterproof, and the permeability of it is a definite advantage. Another advantage is that it doesn t rip or tear. The builder used the product combination StoGuard Fabric and StoGuard RediCorner. StoGuard Fabric is a non-woven cloth reinforcement that is part of the StoGuard assembly and is used with Sto EmeraldCoat to treat sheathing joints, inside and outside corners and rough openings.the advantage of using this fabric is that it creates a two-component system. The ease of installation allows the contractors to be more efficient on the job site. StoGuard RediCorner is a pre-formed fabric piece used in the corners of the rough openings for quicker installation. This product translates into easy and consistent AFTER installation of protection in one of the most critical areas on any wall the rough openings (there were nearly 60 on this house). Sto gives contractors a tool that can make their job easier by taking the guess work out of making sure the openings are sufficiently protected. Jackoniski was pleased with the results. It looks good. I m happy I tried it, he says. In fact, Jackoniski liked the product so much that he used StoGuard on his second house in Serenbe. 5 The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes

6 StoGuard in Action: Lynnwood, Wash. Sto Coatings and Air Barrier distributor, Miller Paint, was holding an event where Sto Corp. s Dan Crates was demonstrating StoGuard. Trevor Johnson of Blackwood Builders Group in Lynnwood, Wash., was there to learn about a different way of wrapping a house. Blackwood Builders Group builds homes in the $650,000 $900,000 price range and was gearing up to build several spec homes in Bainbridge Island. After additional conversations, Johnson thought it would be an interesting experiment to build a side-by-side house comparison, using StoGuard on one house, and next door, using a sheet house wrap. Sheet wrap is a go-to product out there, and we were excited to do this comparison, said Crates. Sheet wrap is not waterproof, and it s a difficult air barrier to work with. Blackwood Builders Group quickly learned that applying the StoGuard system, including StoGuard Fabric and StoEmeraldCoat, was faster than putting up sheet wrap. This was the first time that Johnson and his team ever applied a spray-on air and moisture barrier. According to Crates, Johnson is extremely fast and began the effort with an electric sprayer and switched to a gas sprayer to speed up the application even more. This comparison was Johnson s introduction to StoGuard, and he had a better outcome using the fluid-applied system because the savings on labor was more advantageous than the minor difference in the cost of the materials. BEFORE From a cost perspective, a fluid-applied barrier can be equal to or slightly less expensive than installing a sheet wrap, when you factor in the fasteners, tapes and rough opening treatments that are necessary to install sheet wraps. StoGuard has fewer components, which means lower initial product installed cost. But cost and speed aside, a blower door test proved the fluid-applied system trumped house wrap. The house with StoGuard tested better, says Brian Bunch of Masco Contractor Services, whose company s field technicians performed the test. There is a significant difference. StoGuard tested at cfm vs. the house with sheet wrap, which tested at.0028 cfm. The threshold is.0030 cfm, and above that, it is failing. The result also means a significant difference in occupant comfort. Failing a blower door test after the cladding is on, and carpet and finishes are in place, is not the time to AFTER find out you failed the test, Crates says. This side-by-side comparison proved that we can improve wall performance in residential homes by switching the methods we are using, says Johnson. StoGuard proved to be a fully waterproof air barrier, easy to install, and achieved a better blower door test. At Blackwood Builders Group we have decided to only use StoGuard, as it is a much better product than the common house wrap. 6 The 12-Step Program to Avoid Water Intrusion in Homes