To Seal or not to Seal?
Moisture control: A major reason for air sealing.
Water is a precondition for:
- Mold, insects, dust mites.
- Water is the biggest factor in the durability of a home.
- Water is responsible for 80% of litigation in residential construction.
- Diffusion is the moving of water through solid in vapor form.
- Air leakage through holes in a homes moves 90 times the amount of
water into a home, as does Vapor Diffusion.
- Build Tight, Ventilate Right! Homes that are not sealed and rely on natural ventilation, meaning leaks, are most obvious to the home owner in extremely hot or cold weather conditions. Basically, because of the leaks, you are uncomfortable because the HVAC is unable to keep up.
In most cold climates over an entire heating season, one-third of a quart of water can be collected by diffusion through gypsum board without a vapor diffusion retarder; 30 quarts of water can be collected through air leakage.