Tips for a successful air barrier installation

Our last few blog posts have covered the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and how it provides commercial building owners the opportunity to earn major tax credits if their buildings can exceed ASHRAE 90.1. (Download our IRA Guide for more information.)

Achieving an airtight whole building requires airtight materials and diligent, continuous installation of them over all six sides of the building.

Over the years, the technical team at Henry has identified tips for a continuous air barrier application. These tips are relevant for both fluid and sheet applied membranes. Here are just a few:

• Conduct a pre-installation conference to coordinate proper sequencing between air barrier, waterproofing and roofing subcontractors.
• For applicators of non-Henry products/systems, verify the applicator is approved by that respective manufacturer. The applicator should be trained and certified by the manufacture to provide the building owner a quality job and an airtight building.
• Consult the manufacturer’s technical data sheets to ensure compatibility of the air barrier membrane with other products and substrates.

The devil is in the details when installing air barriers.

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