| Author |
Message |
Loretta Sheridan
Senior Member
Username: leshrdn
Post Number: 186
Registered: 11-2021
| | Posted on Friday, March 21, 2025 - 02:31 pm: |    |
I have read and collected a ton of information from the internet, and have gone through a gazillion articles from the ABAA site, the Construction Specifier, the Building Science site, and I think I have read just about everything that Joseph Lstiburek has written.
I find it all rather confusing. And I just want consistency. and EVRYONE to use the SAME terminology.
My people like to specify a specific product for the membrane applied to the exterior of the bearing wall, and underneath any cladding. The manufacturer of said product calls it a "fluid applied membrane." My people call it a "weather barrier." SpecLink specifies this specific product in 072700 - Air Barrier. For the most part, SpecLink puts housewraps and the like in the "Weather Barrier" section. This is similar to my old MasterSpec Files.
I recently had someone (somewhat condescendingly, I might add) tell me with complete confidence that an air barrier was X, while a weather barrier was Y. Which totally contradicted most if what I have read.
Please share your input on the subject. Thanks! |
ken hercenberg
Senior Member
Username: khercenberg
Post Number: 1659
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Friday, March 21, 2025 - 03:59 pm: | |
I hate to say this but it's whatever you want it to be.
ABAA defines "air barrier" - https://www.airbarrier.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ABAA-Technical-Note-1-Air-Barriers.pdf
ASTM E2357 is "Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate of Air Barrier Assemblies" and pretty much uses the same definitions as ASTM.
That's usually good enough for most people but old habits die hard.
Any other nomenclature that designers use in Drawings and Specs, as long as they match, are part of your design services and you are welcome to use them at your own risk. Many people have introduced a litany of word salad sandwiches regarding membranes that control air, water, vapor and resultant side effects. If your designers use "air barrier" then you get to define that in your specs.
For my part you can call it "George" though I imagine that Carlisle would prefer you call it "Henry".
It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. Said by so many. |
Edward R Heinen CSI CDT CCS LEED-AP
Senior Member
Username: edwardheinen
Post Number: 30
Registered: 04-2022
| | Posted on Friday, March 21, 2025 - 04:27 pm: | |
I have ruminated on the air barrier terminology in the same way, and generally agree with Ken.
MasterSpec Evaluations (remember those?) offers guidance on terminology: "…Products termed weather barriers or water-resistive barriers, such as sheet-applied building wraps, may also have some air-resistance or air-barrier properties, but they generally are not classified true air barrier…many air barriers also function as water-resistive barriers." Tyvek Commercial Wrap is an ABAA evaluated assembly.
As a specifier, I serve somewhat as a guardian of terminology on projects, especially when it comes to contractual terms, which are often misused. Good common ground for collaboration. Alignment of team documentation via terminology becomes a popular goal. Terminology used on drawing notations should align with specs, code, industry-accepted terms, etc.
I don't find "air barrier" in IBC ch2, but do find "weather-resistive barrier." And, I don't find the term "air barrier" itself in the ABAA Glossary.
Of course terminology is not the biggest problem to tackle when it comes to air/water barriers. Exterior enclosure performance issues remain a leading source of construction claims and litigation, after a couple-few of decades of green building programs and building science education. Installation quality, sequencing and speed of construction, awkward details, terminations/penetrations, multiple trades all still influence the systemic issue. |
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