Building enclosures should be designed and constructed to be as airtight as possible. This statement confuses many people. They ask: “Shouldn’t buildings breathe?†“Don’t tight buildings make people sick?†“If you tighten up a building enclosure, won’t you trap the interior moisture and keep it in?†These questions show a lack of understanding about water vapor diffusion through building materials and its control; the buffering of moisture by building materials, and air leakage and its role in transporting moisture through the cavities of the building enclosure; and the control of air leakage using air barrier systems.
Citation: ASHRAE Journal, Vol. 47, No. 3
Product Details
- Published:
- 2005
- Number of Pages:
- 7
- File Size:
- 1 file , 340 KB
- Product Code(s):
- D-24253
