| Author |
Message |
Melissa Finch, CSI, CDT
Senior Member
Username: melgfinch
Post Number: 14
Registered: 02-2024
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2025 - 07:21 pm: |    |
Hypothetical question.. a GC is proposing a large credit to the client if we let them use an air barrier installer that is not ABAA licensed, per a requirement in the specs. Allow them to do this or no? If this isn't a requirement in the specs, what type of requirement would you like to see? Maybe installer approved by manufacturer?
Any insight on this is greatly appreciated! |
Edward J Dueppen, RA, CSI, CCS, LEED AP
Senior Member
Username: edueppen
Post Number: 104
Registered: 08-2013
| | Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 - 09:06 am: | |
I assume you are referring to ABAA-certified installers rather than "licensed".
We include this requirement for all of our air barrier projects but have faced some pushback in rural/remote project locations.
Because ABAA-certification sets a high bar for installer quality, it is not an easy item to dismiss. I recommend inclusion of the following items:
- Installer shall be approved by the manufacturer.
- Installer shall have a minimum of 5 years experience installing the product (and/or successfully installed a minimum of 5 projects of similar scale and complexity)
- Manufacturer's field representative shall be present at the preinstallation meeting and during first installation. Also consider adding a mockup.
- Increase the amount of testing and inspections.
- Consider requiring a 3rd party inspector perform inspections. |
Edward R Heinen CSI CDT CCS LEED-AP
Senior Member
Username: edwardheinen
Post Number: 28
Registered: 04-2022
| | Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 - 09:41 am: | |
I agree with Edward D.'s list of quality measures to include.
It's common for a perfectly-installed air/water barrier to be penetrated by pipe opening that is not properly sealed. With the pace of construction, the exterior assembly installation proceeds on schedule, and looks good on the outside. Seems to me an ABAA installer certification would not guaranty against this scenario.
The loss of integrity in the enclosure is a high risk, and is most commonly found in transitions, penetrations, openings, adjacencies, and such. The cost of fixes and re-work to address performance issues in the enclosure is much greater than the cost of the QA and QC items listed. |
Melissa Finch, CSI, CDT
Senior Member
Username: melgfinch
Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2024
| | Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 - 10:04 am: | |
Thanks Edward! I must have dreamt that it said licensed because I first typed "certified," thinking that was correct, then replaced it with "licensed."
Anyway, thank you both for your input. This is very helpful. I agree that it is a small up-front cost to prevent more down the road. |
Loretta Sheridan
Senior Member
Username: leshrdn
Post Number: 185
Registered: 11-2021
| | Posted on Friday, March 14, 2025 - 01:51 pm: | |
There are not many ABAA certified air barrier contractors.
The ABAA site makes it easy to find them, and using the ones who are certified do provide a way to ensure a certain level of quality of the installation.
Perusing the site, I found that there are eight air barrier contractors listed in South Carolina, pretty much distributed all over the state. While there are numerous listed who say they will work in South Carolina, the distance may add significant cost to the project.
When I was working on projects in South Carolina, I was instructed NOT to include that requirement unless specifically requested by the Owner.
It does seem that more air barrier contractors are pursuing the certification, because I am pretty sure that four years ago, the number was much less than eight. (However, there is only one in my current state.) |
|
4specs.com Home Page