Table 40.4. Air Barrier and Insulation Inspection Component Criteria NUMBER COMPONENT CRITERIA Air barrier and thermal barrier Exterior thermal envelope insulation for framed walls is installed in substantial contact and continuous alignment with building envelope air barrier. Breaks or joints in the air barrier are filled or repaired. Air-permeable insulation is not used as a sealing material. Air-permeable insulation is inside of an air barrier. Ceiling/attic Air barrier in any dropped ceiling/soffit is substantially aligned with insulation and any gaps are sealed. Attic access (except unvented attic), knee wall door, or drop down stair is sealed. Walls Corners and headers are insulated. Junction of foundation and sill plate is sealed. 4 Windows and doors Space between window/door jambs and framing is sealed. 5 Rim joists Rim joists are insulated and include an air barrier. 6 Floors (including above-garage and cantilevered floors) Insulation is installed to maintain permanent contact with underside of subfloor decking. Air barrier is installed at any exposed edge of insulation. 7 Crawl space walls Insulation is permanently attached to walls. Exposed earth in unvented crawl spaces is covered with Class I vapor retarder with overlapping joints taped. Shafts, Duct shafts, utility, knee walls and flue shafts opening to exterior or unconditioned space are sealed. 9 Narrow cavities Batts in narrow cavities are cut to fit, or narrow cavities are filled by sprayed/blown insulation. 0 Garage separation Air sealing is provided between the garage and conditioned spaces. Recessed lighting Recessed light fixtures are air tight, IC rated, and sealed to drywall. Exception fixtures in conditioned space. Plumbing and wiring Insulation is placed between outside and pipes. Batt insulation is cut to fit around wiring and plumbing, or sprayed/blown insulation extends behind piping and wiring. Shower/tub on exterior wall Showers and tubs on exterior walls have insulation and an air barrier separating them from the exterior wall. 4 Electrical/phone box on exterior walls Air barrier extends behind boxes or air sealed-type boxes are installed. 5 Common wall Air barrier is installed in common wall between dwelling units. 6 HVAC register boots HVAC register boots that penetrate building envelope are sealed to subfloor or drywall. 7 Fireplace Fireplace walls include an air barrier. leakage provisions of section 40.4 of the. It does not cover all airsealing locations or techniques. Other code provisions may be
Air sealing key points lights and bath vent fans to ceiling drywall Fan vented through exterior wall sealed at penetration airtight IC-rated recessed light fixtures to drywall plumbing (if ceiling is insulated) Insulate and install sheet material behind bathtub Insulate headers Insulated exterior wall Insulate corners 4 Window sealed into rough opening using backer rod FACED BATTS UNFACED BATTS Ladder T-wall SUBFLOOR 9 gap between electrical box and drywall FLOOR JOIST Caulk Narrow stud cavity batts are cut to fit Caulk 4 wiring and plumbing Electrical panel box, recommend install on interior (non-insulated) wall. If installed on exterior wall, air barrier shall extend behind box or air-sealed box shall be installed. the. It does not cover all
Chases and common by-passes Cap top of chase with solid air barrier and insulate above dropped soffit chases top plate MULTIFAMILY COMMON WALL Caulk electrical boxes and fixtures to drywall INTERIOR WALL 6 HVAC electrical Install air barrier on interior of all insulated walls bottom plate 5 in common wall plumbing bottom plate 6 HVAC boot Shower/tub drain rough opening Install and seal air barrier behind tub (required) bathtub drain penetration the. It does not cover all
Window rough opening Wall cross-section Attic ventilation 4-inches Wind wash baffle and dam for air-permeable insulation Soffit vent Glue drywall to top and bottom plates Caulk bottom plate to subfloor 4 Caulk band joist to subfloor and plates 5 Use backer rod or spray foam (appropriate for windows) to fill gaps between window/door and rough opening Glue drywall to top plate Tape or caulk exterior sheathing seams Glue drywall to bottom plate. Caulk bottom plate to subfloor, foundation, or slab Sill gasket or double-bead of caulk under bottom plate Install exterior water resistive barrier as per IRC 70. -inch inspection gap Insulation is permanently attached to walls 7 ed CLASS I vapor retarder required in crawlspace 6 Underfloor insulation must be installed in permanent contact with subfloor (air barrier required at any exposed edge of insulation) 4 the. It does not cover all
Combustion chase 7 around chimney flues with sheet metal cap Combustion closet Combustion air inlets as per mechanical and/or fuel gas code Flue stack Rigid foam option (recommend covering with ignition barrier for fire protection) Internal air barrier gas and plumbing through walls Blocking above suporting wall for cantilevered floor (required) Insulated walls (not required unless walls are part of building thermal envelope) Insulation above top plate of supporting wall 6 Underfloor insulation must be installed in permanent contact with subfloor (air barrier required at any exposed edge of insulation) Insulated water heater (not required) 4 Door closes against solid threshold Bottom plate sealed Exterior Caulk exterior wall for refrigeration lines, condensate line, etc. Solid (non-louvered) door with weatherstripping 5 the. It does not cover all
Install blocking and rafter baffle to prevent wind-washing if vented, insulated roofline (required) R- insulation R- + R-5, R-5 + R-, or R-9 in x6 ed attic-side air barrier (required) OSB, insulated sheathing, etc. Blocking - fit in joist cavity, caulked or foamed Attic knee-walls Two-level attic Unconditioned Space Caulk and seal rough opening Air barrier required, (rigid board recommended) Caulk Caulk Attic kneewall requires R- insulation Glue Blocking 6 Rigid insulation Minimum R-5 Weather-strip door opening and threshold Conditioned space Conditioned space the. It does not cover all
Attic scuttle Insulation dams prevent loose-fill insulation from falling through access Hatch lid pushes up and out of the way for access Rigid insulation plus batt, minimum R-9 Trim Air seal gasket Attic pull-down stairs Rigid insulation box forms lid for pull-down attic staircase Insulation dams prevent loose-fill insulation from falling through access Cover box pushes up and out of the way for access Minimum R-5 Boxed enclosure for staircase has rigid hinged lid with insulation on top Insulation batt minimum R-5 Weatherstripping Weatherstripping Attic access Weatherstripping Panel gap between frame and rough opening with caulk, backer rod, or foam Attic pull-down stairs Insulation dams prevent loose-fill insulation from falling through access gap between frame and rough opening with caulk, backer rod, or foam Weatherstripping 7 Insulation board minimum R-5 Panel the. It does not cover all
Air barrier behind steps 0 Garage to house door Garage (unconditioned) Web trusses Basement (conditioned) Rigid foam (recommend covering with ignition barrier, if required) Inset garage to house door Garage (unconditioned) Web truss Air seal 0 Sheath and insulate Basement (conditioned) Rigid foam (recommend covering with ignition barrier, if required) the. It does not cover all
Roofline Installed Insulation Options Reference Table 40.6 in Georgia amendments to the and section 06.4 in the Georgia amendments to the 006 IECC Air impermeable installed insulation (e.g., spray foam insulation) Shingles Roofing felt Decking (e.g., open- or closedcell spray foam) R-9 minimum if trade-offs are used (Georgia requirements) Air-permeable installed insulation (e.g. fiberglass, cellulose) Shingles (e.g. rigid foam board) R-5 minimum in climate zones & R-5 minimum in climate zone 4 Option Roofing felt (e.g. rigid foam board) Decking Air-permeable insulation Air-permeable insulation R-9 minimum if trade-offs are used (Georgia requirements) Shingles Option Roofing felt 9 (e.g. rigid foam board) Air-permeable insulation Decking (e.g. rigid foam board) R-5 minimum in climate zones & R-5 minimum in climate zone 4 Air-permeable insulation R-9 minimum if trade-offs are used (Georgia requirements) the. It does not cover all
Ceiling Insulation Details Rafter and Truss Standard Truss with tapered insulation depth 4-inches Note: Wind wash baffle and air-permeable insulation dam. For air permeable insulation in vented attics, baffles shall be installed adjacent to soffit and eave vents. A minimum of a -inch of space shall be provided between the insulation and the roof sheathing and at the location of the vent. The baffle shall extend over the top of the insulation inward until it is at least 4 inches vertically above the top of the insulation. Any solid material such as cardboard or thin insulating sheathing shall be permissible as the baffle. Insulation baffle Insulation Soffit dam (cardboard or rigid foam board) Energy Truss with full height insulation Insulation baffle Insulation 4-inches Soffit dam (cardboard or rigid foam board) Soffit vent Standard rafter and top plate with tapered insulaton depth Insulation 4-inches Insulation baffle Soffit dam (cardboard or rigid foam board) Rafter on raised top plate with full height insulation Insulation 4-inches Minimum -inch depth for insulation baffle Soffit dam (cardboard or rigid foam board) Raised top plate 0 Soffit vent the. It does not cover all