In some instances, the material providing air control can also offer moisture resistance. Occasionally, the materials employed to provide thermal control may also have the ability to restrict moisture and air transfer. In other situations, a number of different components can be utilized to achieve the various “control layers,” and the overall desired enclosure performance. To complicate matters, these selections can be impacted by climate, building use, value engineering, and emerging technologies.
for the air, water, and thermal control layers has evolved over the years. Historically, the enclosure typically included asphalt felt or building paper behind the cladding to limit moisture penetration. However, these rcs data materials did not provide functional air control. During this same era, batt insulation placed in the stud cavity was a common method to provide thermal control.
A later generation of wall assemblies frequently incorporated a mechanically attached (non-adhered) sheet water-resistive barrier (WRB) that may have also limited air transfer. During this time frame, insulation was also starting to be installed outboard of the AWB.
In current designs, fully-adhered or integral AWBs (both sheet and fluid applied) have become common, and exterior insulation is increasingly prevalent to meet the stringent energy codes in construction. As a result, greater attention is being paid to the development of thermally-efficient cladding attachment solutions, and several types of systems have been introduced into the market.
Given these intricacies, technology
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