Housewrap or sheathing wrap (such as Tyvek™) installation details:

Here using a Q&A format we discuss basic concepts & strategies for installing/using Tyvek™ air barrier on buildings and sealing against air leaks.

Here we include solar energy, solar heating, solar hot water, and related building energy efficiency improvement articles including material reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.

Our page-top photo shows Typar™ house wrap during installation on a new home.

Advice for Installing Tyvek™ Housewrap on buildings

The question-and-answer article about strategies for sealing air infiltration leaks on buildings (or air exfiltration leaks, i.e. heat loss), is provided in full-text below, and discusses steps to take to be sure that the energy retrofit cure is not worse than the disease, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss.

Should I Install Tyvek at Sill, Sole, & Top Plates & Do I need to Caulk

Question:

If a continuous air/vapor barrier is used on the interior of the framing of a house, and DuPont Tyvek™ is used on the outside, is it necessary to caulk at sill, sole, and top plates, headers, and joists? -- John L. Matthews

Answer:

In tests conducted by the NAHB Research Foundation, a standard 1976 house - 2x4 walls, kraft-paper vapor barrier, asphalt-impregnated sheathing - had a 35-percent reduction in air leakage under pressure after being retrofitted with Tyvek™.

The Tyvek was lapped at seams and caulked at windows and foundation. The reduction in air leakage was from 8.6 to 5.6 air changes per hour (ACH) at 50 Pascals (of pressure).

Ten air changes per hour (ACH) at 50 Pascals equals roughly 0.5 natural ACH in a building.

According to NAHB researchers, later tests on tighter homes showed smaller reductions, but even "quick and dirty" installations of Tyvek showed some reduction in air leakage rates. In a test by Gulf State Utilities of Beaumont, Texas, Tyvek did about the same as caulking with expanding polyurethane foam insulation, but both together did significantly better than either alone.

DuPont recommends that Tyvek be lapped at seams and caulked at the foundation. It is also advisable to lap the Tyvek over the top plate and caulk around windows.

If these Tyvek installation guidelines are followed (for this and presumably most other Housewrap brands), we suspect that you could be less finicky with other sealing efforts. Many builders, though, appreciate the redundancy of an extra line of air leak defense won at a modest cost through the use of this product.

Names of compatible adhesives and other information about Tyvek are available from DuPont at 800-448-9835.

Original Article

The link to the original Q&A article in PDF form immediately below was preceded by an expanded/updated online version of this article.

• Tyvek Technique Q&A on - PDF version, Use your browser's back button to return to this page

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question: Housewrap placement at edge of a concrete slab

(Jan 30, 2015) Gary said:
Should the Tyvek house wrap go on top of the edge of the concrete slab underneath the masonry veneer?

Reply:

Gary I don't trust that I have a clear picture of your design. But in general I'd want the bottom edge of housewrap to extend over the exterior edge of the slab enough to be sure any water is not directed under the wall sills. Don't continue it underground or you may invite insects.

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Continue reading at VAPOR BARRIERS & AIR SEALING BAND JOISTS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Water Barrier & House Wrap Articles

• AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION
• BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER
• CRAWL SPACE VAPOR BARRIER LOCATION
• DRY-IN, DEFINITION
• EXTERIOR WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES
• FELT 15# ROOFING, as HOUSEWRAP/VAPOR BARRIER
• GEOTEXTILES & DRAINAGE MATS
• HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
• HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION
• HOUSEWRAP PRODUCT CHOICES
• HOUSEWRAP at SILLS, SOLES, TOP PLATES
• MOISTURE in BUILDING WALLS, EFFECTS
• MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
• PERM RATINGS of BUILDING MATERIALS
• STUCCO WALL WEEP SCREED DRAINAGE
• VAPOR BARRIERS & AIR SEALING at BAND JOISTS
• VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION
• VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP
• VAPOR BARRIERS, VINYL SIDING
• VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING
• WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING

Suggested citation for this web page

HOUSEWRAP at SILLS, SOLES, TOP PLATES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to EXTERIORS of BUILDINGS

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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