What is an Air Barrier?
Air Barriers are materials that control the movement of air into and out of a building. A number of air barrier materials and components that work together are called air barrier systems. The air barrier system is part of the building envelope. Typically, the building envelope divides the interior environment from the exterior environment, or dissimilar environments. The air barrier is an essential part of the building envelope, by providing the control of air into and out of a building. This system essentially “wraps” the buildings shell and ensures that it protects the building from the effects of air leakage. Air Leakage can have detrimental effects on how a building functions and reduces the life span of a building. Most time, there is confusion between air barriers and vapor barriers. A vapor barriers primary function is to stop the transmission of moisture by diffusion through a material. An example of a vapor barrier is Polyethylene. At times, materials can be deemed a air / vap
Air Barriers control the unintended movement of air into and out of a building enclosure. Air barrier systems are comprised of a number of materials which are assembled together to provide a complete barrier to air leakage through the building enclosure. The building enclosure includes all six sides of the building and may included separations within a building. This system essentially “wraps” the building shell and ensures that it protects the building from the effects of air leakage. Air leakage can have detrimental effects on how a building functions and reduces the life span of a building. A properly functioning air barrier system provides a barrier against both the air leakage and the diffusion of air caused by wind, stack and mechanical equipment pressures. For the occupants to be comfortable, we condition the air in buildings. In summer or in cooling climates, we normally cool and dehumidify the air to a lower temperature and humidity that the exterior environment. In winter or
An air barrier is a membrane or a foam that is incorporated into the construction of a building in order to increase its lifespan and efficiency. Without an effective air barrier, heating and cooling costs can be significantly higher, and moisture can penetrate the walls of a building, leading to a number of potential problems such as mold. This is particularly the case in humid climates. Air barriers come in several forms, from mechanically applied housewraps, to polyurethane foam, which is applied by spraying. The main purpose of an air barrier is to prevent air leakage between the inside and outside of a building, and sometimes even between areas of a building. Some estimate that a good air barrier can decrease heating costs by up to 40%, and cooling costs by up to 15%. Where air leakage is controlled, this can also allow for a smaller ventilation system, since less air will have to be conditioned. The reduction in cost from a smaller ventilation system alone can offset the cost of
Air Barriers control the unintended movement of air into and out of a building enclosure. Air barrier systems are comprised of a number of materials which are assembled together to provide a complete barrier to air leakage through the building enclosure. The building enclosure includes all six sides of the building and may included separations within a building. This system essentially wraps the building shell and ensures that it protects the building from the effects of air leakage. Air leakage can have detrimental effects on how a building functions and reduces the life span of a building. A properly functioning air barrier system provides a barrier against both the air leakage and the diffusion of air caused by wind, stack and mechanical equipment pressures. For the occupants to be comfortable, we condition the air in buildings. In summer or in cooling climates, we normally cool and dehumidify the air to a lower temperature and humidity that the exterior environment. In winter or he
