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Rainscreen

November 27, 2017

How walls and windows contribute to an energy-efficient home

Your customers probably don’t worry about the integrity of their building envelope, but they might about their energy bills. When you’re installing a new HVAC system or performing maintenance tasks, consider the need for efficient wall vents or windows. How do windows and wall systems support a healthy building envelope and an energy-efficient home? The […]

Rainscreen, Ventilation
October 31, 2016

How Wind Washing Affects HVAC

Did you know that wind washing is likely the cause of that cold patch in your customer’s kitchen or that drafty area in their upstairs hall? Homeowners need to count on you – their HVAC professional – to know how to deal with these problems. Wind warnings have blown across North America this fall, prompting […]

Construction Methods, Rainscreen
October 17, 2016

How to protect your siding with rainscreen

When your customers choose siding for their homes, they balance aesthetics, cost and maintenance with energy efficiency and ease of installation. From an HVAC point of view, your primary concern is how their decision impacts the heating and cooling properties of a building. A major factor in the siding impact is whether there is a […]

Construction Methods, HVAC, Rainscreen
January 26, 2016

How to Choose the Right Wall Cap

Venting through walls is often the easiest way to intake fresh air or exhaust fumes from a house. But making any hole in the exterior can compromise the integrity of the building envelope. To prevent the entry of water and stop air leaks, use a strong and watertight wall cap. Wall caps can be manufactured […]

HVAC, Rainscreen, Ventilation
May 5, 2015

How Foam Insulation Improves the Building Envelope

In the past, cold drafty houses were the norm. We cranked up the heat to force all that chilly air out. There was also a greater tolerance for uncomfortably warm homes in summer months. But now, whole house air conditioning is so prevalent they can affect entire electric power grids during heat waves. Over the […]

Construction Methods, Rainscreen
February 11, 2015

How to choose between a roof, soffit or wall vent

Arguably the most important part of a building is the roof. It must protect the residential or commercial structure from precipitation and temperature extremes. This makes most installers a little nervous – if not reluctant – to mess with the integrity of a building’s top surface by adding vents. Not only does every new hole […]

Construction Methods, Rainscreen, Ventilation
October 15, 2014

Building envelope key to protecting wood frame mid-rises

As Ontario builders prepare for the opportunity to create wood-frame six-storey mid-rises, building envelopes should be carefully considered and protected.Starting next year, the province will join B.C. by allowing taller wood structures in its building code.  Wood has proven to be a safe and reliable material in these applications, but protecting that wood framing will prove vital […]

Construction Methods, Rainscreen
September 29, 2014

Advice from rainscreen experts on new installs

For many North American construction companies, rainscreens still represent a bit of a mystery. Finding experts in the field can be a challenge, but they do exist.  In places like coastal Oregon and British Columbia, thousands of sealed building envelopes have been created with a breathable, capillary gap beneath the siding to allow water to drain […]

Construction Methods, HVAC, Rainscreen
September 15, 2014

What you need to know about rainscreen codes

Coastal areas of British Columbia and Oregon remain among the few places in North America where building codes require the installation of rainscreens.  Their designs are often left up to the engineers or construction professionals installing them.  Still, it’s important to keep in mind the lessons learned in jurisdictions like B.C. over the past 15 to […]

Construction Methods, Rainscreen
September 2, 2014

Don’t let a wall cap destroy your rainscreen

Rainscreens are a great way to protect homes from the elements, but even the best engineered systems can be compromised when you start cutting holes in walls.  Things like windows and vent caps create spots where water can seep behind the membrane inside a rainscreened wall. Careful installation is vital to keeping moisture on the […]

Construction Methods, Rainscreen
June 23, 2014

Why Your Building Envelope Needs Breathing Room

At its most basic level, a home provides shelter. It helps keep a family dry in the rain, warm in the winter and shaded from the summer sun. A home’s ability to offer a healthy and controlled living space is in many ways its most important task. So just what is it that protects a […]

HVAC, Rainscreen, Ventilation