House Wrap Installation Tips & Techniques You Need To Know
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This high permeability promotes rapid drying by helping to ensure that water doesn't become trapped inside the home. Despite these attractive features, asphalt felt doesn't hold up well under direct sunlight, so it isn't recommended for locations that will be exposed to the sun for an extended period of time. A high-performing house wrap has the right balance of air and water resistance and vapor permeability to prevent air and moisture infiltration.
Comparing House Wrap Vapor Permeability
On center vertically and horizontally, others are as close as 12 in. The days of using a hammer tacker to install house wrap are gone forever. Today, most house wrap manufacturers require their product to be installed with cap nails or cap staples. This change definitely slows down the process, but on the upside, capped fasteners hold house wrap to the wall up to 25 times better than staples. “Perm rate” is the rate at which a house wrap allows water vapor to pass through it.
House Wrap & Tape
The reason for this is that water can seep into the wall cavity from the inside of the home, not just the outside. If water becomes trapped in the wall and is not able to escape through the house wrap, then it can create rot, mold, and mildew issues. Use this guide to learn how to choose house wrap to protect your home. The top house wrap brands will not only protect your house, but it can also improve your home’s energy efficiency. Tyvek® HomeWrap®, a product of DuPont™, is made from non-perforated, non-woven, high-density polyethylene fibers that are fused to create a uniform web. The web creates tiny pores that resist water and air penetration while permitting vapor to pass through.
Lowe's 9-ft x 150-ft Water Resistant House Wrap (1350-sq ft)
Water tends to condense on house wrap, much more so than it would if there was just wood sheathing behind the siding. That water will penetrate wood siding and lift off the finish. So it’s more important than ever to prime the back side of wood siding before it’s installed.
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When I got the quote, it specified that it would be done with Housewrap, but didn't specify the type and I didn't think to ask, the siding is LP Smartside. HomeGuard® House Wrap is an engineered, woven, polyolefin product designed for use as a secondary WRB. According to Joseph Lstiburek, with the Building Science Corporation, the ideal WRB perm, for balancing the inward and outward flow of moisture in a wall system, is between 10 and 20 perms.
What’s the Building Code for Housewrap Installation?
House wrap is intended to be installed over the sheathing and behind the siding, regardless of the siding you are using. However, it's necessary to mention that most types of house wrap do not serve as an effective air barrier to prevent cold air from entering the wall cavities. Only a few special products are designed to perform this function, and they must be installed meticulously to create a reliable air barrier. A house wrap is a versatile and protective weatherization material used in modern home construction. It’s designed to be an added layer of protection that provides insulation benefits.
House wraps are essential for keeping moisture, dirt, and air out of your home. They shield against water vapor, preventing it from entering into wall systems. The majority of house wraps are made to let water vapour pass through them, however if more water vapour is produced and tries seep through, there are chances that water might enter. It’s not only seams that need taping—everything that penetrates a wall needs it too! This means that you will essentially be spending about $560 to complete a typical 500 square foot job. However, the actual cost of the project will vary depending on the location, job size, conditions, and finish options that you select.
Smaller rolls means more tape on the horizontal seams, but the labor saving is worth the extra trouble and expense. Years ago, only vertical seams in house wrap required tape, but no longer. Now every seam must be taped, and most manufacturers recommend that a minimum of 1 in. Of the tape be sealed to each side of the seam—that’s hard to accomplish using 2-in. If not, like practically everything else, it’s available online.
To avoid this problem, many installers will use two layers of grade D building paper. When the paper wrinkles, this creates small air pockets between the layers to help improve air flow and increase drying time. If you aren't sure about which type of house wrap is best for your home, consider speaking to a siding manufacturer or getting suggestions from the house wrap installation company.
Often the contact rim on a stapler rips a small hole each time the tacker is whacked. Another problem with fine wire staples is they frequently pull-through the WRB on windy days leaving holes that often don’t get patched. If you’re the general contractor, make sure there’s an extra roll of house wrap at the job site for the framers, electricians and any other sub who’s going to be attaching objects to the wall. (Include instructions for installing it!) Soffit stringers, trim boards and electrical meters all need house wrap behind them.
A windy day can make house wrap installation a frustrating experience at best. So cut full rolls down to more manageable sizes with a circular saw. Most saws won’t cut all the way through a full roll, so cut as deep as you can, then twist the roll until the cut is complete.
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Bargain house wraps often have low perm rates and they should be avoided. In cold climates, this is especially true for older homes with little or no moisture barriers. Moisture will escape through the wall cavity and sheathing, and if the house wrap doesn’t allow it to pass through fast enough, it will condense and accumulate in the form of frost and ice. When the ice thaws, you’ll end up with wet sheathing and/or wall cavities—not good.
Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted. Another common type of house wrap is called grade D building paper.
Most house wraps are weather-resistant barriers (WRBs) that aim to prevent air and moisture infiltration to the wall system while protecting the sheathing. Housewrap manufacturers list their installation requirements in the instructions. I read through several major housewrap manufacturer installation instructions and most have minimum horizontal overlaps of 4 in. The caps protect the housewrap from damage during installation and spread the surface area of the fastener over a broader area of the WRB so the fastener is less likely to tear through. The fastener spacing patterns vary widely between manufacturers.
One of the most common types of house wrap is known as asphalt felt. It typically has a perm rating of about five and moderate water resistance, making it a good choice for use as a sheathing wrap. However, it's important to note that asphalt felt absorbs water when wet, which can increase the permeability of the product significantly.
Timothy Dale is a home repair expert and writer with over a decade of hands-on construction and home improvement experience. He is skilled in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional plumbing, electrical, carpentry, installation, renovations, and project management. If you’re looking for a way to improve your home’s energy efficiency, Rufco House Wrap is worth considering.
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