Air Barriers to Control Home Moisture - North Twin Builders

We recently discussed the flow and effects of moisture throughout your home, and the importance of controlling it. The best way to succeed with the battle against moisture is by implementing building science techniques when the home is first built. It is up to your contractor to have the knowledge and experience to build your new home to fit the local climate, or you will likely experience the negative consequences right away.

Want to know if you have chosen the right contractor? Just ask them specific questions about the construction process and the final building performance. Your contractor should be able to explain their solutions in specific terms, including why something is being done a certain way and what the effects of the action will be. If you hear vague terms, or language relating to a “oh, we use standard practices”, beware! And one of your inquiries should be related to air barriers.

North Twin Builders prides ourselves on our very low amount of call backs after completing the construction of a new home, as well as being a teaching business that shares our knowledge openly with any client. In fact, we would be happy to go on and on about any building techniques we employ – or you can check out our past client testimonials as examples!

Understanding Air Barriers

Not all air barrier systems are the same. In fact, there are a variety of methods to control air flow, and thus moisture movement because moisture moves through the air easily. An exterior air barrier blocks air from entering your home from the outside – think about wind carrying rain drops through your home’s exterior, creating condensation in the insulation and on the building frame. Naturally, this should be a concern in any climate, especially in Vilas County where so much snow builds up outside of our homes.

On the other hand, an indoor air barrier prevents all that moisture that we create within our homes (by cooking, showering and even breathing) from entering the walls and causing mold growth and wood rot. This is especially important in colder climates like Vilas County’s because of the way that heat moves moist air around the building.

Eco Homes (www.ecohomes.net) refers to indoor air barriers as “a design concept”, explaining that “products that can act as air barriers are drywall, sheathing, insulation, house wrap…”. It comes down to design because it doesn’t matter which product is used if it isn’t installed properly or doesn’t perform well for the climate. And an air barrier that isn’t a part of the bigger picture is ineffective.

Here’s Where Construction Gets Complicated…

If quality construction was easy, all homes would be high performance and energy efficient. But that’s just not the case because it is not as simple as designing the best indoor air barrier for the local environment. Simply preventing moisture moving through the walls isn’t even enough. Blocking air movement, such as by caulking a spot that leaks air, is also not a valid solution.

The contractor must consider the indoor and outdoor movement of air and moisture. This includes proper drainage, ventilation methods, vapor barriers, and much more. Where moisture will potentially be created and introduced to the building structure, how the air will move around the finished home, and even the lifestyle of the future inhabitants must come into play in developing a successful air and moisture control system. The air barriers themselves are just one piece of a very complicated puzzle.

How to Tell if your Contractor is Up to the Challenge

The first thing you should do when choosing a contractor is ask questions, as we discussed earlier. And that means that the more informed you are, the better. It’s not necessary to fully grasp all of the building science concepts – just recognize if you are being given educated answers that actually address your concerns. Doing your homework can save you big headaches and major expenses down the road!

If you have concerns about air flow in a finished home, the blower door test can be a big help in identifying air leakage areas (and potential moisture problems). But we can’t stress enough that having your home built right in the first place is the best prevention for any potential home performance issues. Choosing a knowledgeable contractor with a proven track record, like North Twin Builders, is always the best solution!

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