Housewrap is a synthetic material used to wrap the outside of a building to protect the wall frames from the ingress of moisture from the outside. A home wrap is technically called a waterproof barrier (WRB). This is a lightweight wrap that attaches to the back of your home’s siding and sheathing.
.Housewraps are costly, quick to apply, and improve the performance of building.
This article describes the characteristics and importance of house wraps for buildings.
Table of Contents
Characteristics of Housewraps
The main purpose of housewrap is to prevent moisture from the outside environment from entering the building wall cavities.
Housewrap Unlike most WRBs, housewrap is not impermeable. This allows moist air to enter your home and prevent it from becoming trapped in wall cavities. So all housewraps are WRBs, but not all WRBs are housewraps.
The main types of household foil available on the market are:
- Synthetic or Woven Plastic Housewraps: These wraps use threads that are long in length and width.
- Non-Woven House Wraps: These wraps use shorter fibers in random patterns.
Housewrap is designed to resist air and water and allow water vapor to pass through. Woven or non-woven fabrics give the housewrap its strength. The fiber spinning technology gives it water and air resistance. The pore size of the fibers contributes to the vapor breathing properties of the housesheet. Housewrap should be installed over the sheath and behind the siding. Works on wood, textile, vinyl, brick, stucco, cement and other trims. A particular house wrap usually works best with a particular type of fairing material specified by the fairing manufacturer.
A housewrap is accompanied by a slide or panel procedure. Housewraps typically need to be covered within 120 days of installation as exposure to UV light can cause damage and leaks. Covering the housewrap immediately increases its durability.
The Importance of Housewrap for a Building
Housewrap is a secondary defense against air and water intrusion to keep water out of the frame and envelope of a building. Helps create high performance homes and meet the minimum International Building Code (IBC) requirements for exterior walls. Housewrap keeps air and water out of your home. Prevents water from accumulating inside the wall mount. The result is a weather-resistant exterior wall shell. Provides energy efficient, healthy and comfortable homes. Efficient installation of housewrap reduces air leakage and improves the insulation performance of the building.
Housewrap Requirements
There are several types of household foil on the market, and the appropriate type is selected based on its performance. Performance criteria for home films are understood through the study of certain key properties.
- Housewrap water resistant
- housewrap durability
- Breathability of household foil
- Air resistance of household foil
- Drainage with house wrap
- Household film resistance to surfactants