Does nailing strapping jeopardize the air barrier membrane integrity?
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Does strapping’s nailing jeopardize membrane integrity?
GUY DUPONT
Nov. 26, 2021Last updated: Nov. 26, 2021
Does nailing battens on a ceiling or wall to create a service cavity creates significant leaks in a membrane to worry about? Or afterward stapling wires, screwing jonction boxes, etc. through the membrane...
[This is a single level construction in zone 6 where: – ceiling is a vented cathedral roof with R60 cellulose, over 1/2” Enermax (wood fiberboard with aluminium foil vapor barrier), double 1×3 strapping and v-groove pine planks. – walls are cedar siding, 1×3 strapping, Typar WRB, 1-1/2” wood fiberboard, R-20 hemp batt insulation, smart vapor retarder ProClima Intello, double 1×3 strapping and v-groove planks.]
Putting nails through a weather barrier or vapor barrier to attach strapping will for sure create holes, but how much air leakage that leads to depends on a few factors.The membrane you choose would be a factor, so I would see this page first –
Choosing the right house wrap / WRB, which is best?
A peel and stick membrane that is glued directly to sheathing will give be the most resilient air barrier because it has substrate behind it, and the membrane can seal around any screws or nails to a certain extent.See your peel and stick air barrier membrane installation video here.
When you are attaching a loose WRB (weather resistive barrier), there is a lot more chance for nails and particularly staples, to leave bigger holes. And even the small amount of air pressure that it may be subject to can cause holes in a loose weather barrier to widen over time. So we prefer the peel and stick kind when possible.
With a loose barrier like the Typar weather barrier you mention, if you’re cautious with installation and not firing wildly with a nail gun or staple gun, that will help. You could also run a bead of acoustic seal along the center of the strapping where the nails will go so that it will plug any holes.
你还有另外两个机会用智能蒸汽缓阻器和铝箔膜使它密封,你打算用胶带吗?想象你的空气屏障有多重防御线,每一点都有帮助。你选择Proclima Intello智能蒸汽缓速器的事实向我表明,你对建立科学和空气屏障的重要性有一个很好的想法,所以我马上就认为你会做得很好,因为你知道它有多重要。Quality installation of any component of a wall system will make all the difference in durability and performance.
This page would be good to see also, abouthow to install siding so walls can dry. In there you will see some strapping details that will allow air and moisture to flow properly and to avoid moisture build up.
Thanks Mike,
To clarify, in my case Intello is only on the walls, and the foil-lined Enermax only on the cathedral ceiling. The Enermax panels are indeed taped at each joints and nails, and the Intello at each overlap (including at ceiling junction and concrete slab's vapor barrior). But I was worrying about the stappings added afterward and their nails, some that missed the stud or rafter, some that splitted the strapping. Same situation for the nails on the WRB side...
嗨,伙计,是的,偶尔会有几颗钉子被剪掉。说一些钉子“错过”铆钉是过去式,所以听起来好像已经完成了?如果是这样的话,我建议你不要为此失眠。简单地说,通过这种交流,我可以自信地说,你的房子可能比大多数房子更密封,所以不要担心。如果你在这个阶段的墙壁是捆扎的,而不是干墙,如果你想找到更多的漏洞,你可以做blower door test, which depressurizes the home and helps you find air leaks因为你可以感觉到空气通过它们进来。
And this is speaking from an almost identical experience - on ourEdelweiss House demonstration homewe nailed 2x3's to the ceiling as strapping (to allow room for wiring and electical boxes without piercing the air barrier) and I had the same concerns. Ours was going for LEED Platinum so we had to have it extremely airtight, and during our blower door test we were able to find and seal dozens of tiny holes and cut the air change rate by close to half during that process.