The primary role of a weather resistant barrier (also known as WRB, building wrap, or house wrap) is to protect the building envelope from bulk water, wind-driven rain, and water vapor. It is important that your WRB stands up against all three of these intruders. Within a WRB, there are three primary defense mechanisms: water holdout for bulk water, drainability for rain penetration, and proper permanence or breathability for water vapor. It’s no secret there are a growing number of challenges putting pressure on homebuilders today, including labor shortages and supply chain issues that can often stretch a project’s timeline. The team at DeLuca Construction discovered that the performance of TYPAR’s building wrap, flashings and tapes can help them weather the storm. Particularly when these challenges result in the building wrap being exposed to the elements for longer than usual, the fact that TYPAR building wrap can be exposed to UV light for up to six months without any degradation to its performance was a major factor in the team’s decision to roll with TYPAR.
“TYPAR is the best in the industry for these current market dynamics,” said James DeLuca, vice president of purchasing and estimating for DeLuca Construction. “There are just some things that are out of our hands more than normal. If you go with something like ZIP or Tyvek, they’re good, but they’re going to weather much faster.” The four-story, 7,500-square-foot home has lots of exposure to wind, so the team needed a rugged, durable building wrap that won’t tear easily. The team also needed to be confident in the building wrap’s performance in terms of air holdout and permeability, which can significantly affect the quality of the indoor environment. To explore the Glengarry Home Model designed by PROGETI and built by DeLuca Construction, go to 714glengarry.com. When weighing the performance of the TYPAR Weather Protection System against that of an all-in-one sheathing system, James DeLuca said it was TYPAR’s permeability that sealed the deal. Because the home will feature brick and fiber cement siding—both of which are considered “reservoir” cladding because they can hold water—a building wrap with superior moisture management properties was required. A “sweet spot” of 10-20 perms is ideal for achieving the desired balance of moisture protection and breathability, according to building scientist Joseph Lstiburek. TYPAR Building Wrap fits squarely into that range with a perm rating of 11.7, meaning water is prevented from entering the wall cavity but moisture vapor is still allowed to escape. In addition to its durability and performance, the DeLuca Construction team was impressed with the overall quality of TYPAR’s family of weather protection products. Having served the high-end, custom home market for so many years, the DeLuca family understands that when your own brand and reputation is on the line you need a product you and your customer can trust. “We want our homes to look good whether they’re in wrap or finished,” added James DeLuca. “When you have clients who are buying homes in the $3 million to $5 million range, they don’t want to see an ugly wrap. It doesn’t matter at what stage the build is in, they want to know that it’s high-end.” The TYPAR Weather Protection System is comprised of TYPAR building wraps, flashing and tapes engineered to assure the greatest protection against nature's harshest elements while protecting the building envelope from the damaging impacts of moisture penetration and air intrusion. For this home, DeLuca Construction installed TYPAR Building Wrap, 75-yard construction tape, all-temperature 4-inch flexible flashing and 9 in. x 75 ft. flexible flashing for window sill. Collectively, the system acts as a barrier for wind-driven rain, bulk water and air that may penetrate exterior cladding. Using the full, properly installed system provides builders with the only lifetime limited warranty of its kind. Contact TYPAR today to learn more about how building wraps can help your next project.
