How to Properly Manage Moisture in a Basement
Managing moisture in a basement is difficult. We break down and detail the fundamentals of a water-managed basement foundation done right.
Category: Uncategorized
What’s the Best WRB for Open-Joint Cladding?
Open-joint cladding systems are unique – not just in aesthetics, but in what’s required to correctly protect the exposed structural components within the wall.
The Top 5 Open-Joint Cladding Building Designs
Revolutionary building design shouldn’t trump basic building science. These 5 open-joint cladding projects are pioneering design & high-performance protection.
A Builder’s First Time Using Peel and Stick House Wrap
Builder Emily Press used a peel and stick house wrap for the first time, and shares her experience with The Build Show’s Matt Risinger.
DELTA®-MS Receives Declare Red List Free Status
Finally, a below-grade dimpled membrane that contributes to high-performance building compliance. Demonstrating market leadership in the growing movement towards product transparency and health in the built environment, DELTA®-MS is the first, and only, below-grade dimpled membrane to obtain a Red List Free Declare label with the Living Building Challenge (LBC) International Living Future […]
Commercial Foundation Waterproofing
The major cause of many common foundation problems is water. Waterproofing systems are a critical component for keeping foundations dry. Like air control above grade, it is important to consider water control below grade as a system solution, not as a single component.
Managing leaky basements without digging yourself into a hole
If you haven’t experienced the gross inconvenience and expense of a leaky basement, count yourself lucky. If you have, you know it is not something that can just be ignored in hopes it will go unnoticed or perhaps “fix itself.” Basement leaks can either be slow and steady, gradually seeping into a dwelling over days, […]
Sheathing Membranes – Important Characteristics and Codes
In Part 1 of this two-part blog series, we looked at what sheathing membranes are and how they are used in exterior wall assemblies. To recap, these membranes typically consist of thin sheet materials placed on the exterior side of the sheathing board in exterior wall assemblies. The function of the membranes is to resist […]
Insights from John Straube: Ensuring High Quality from Design to Construction
We interviewed John Straube, PhD, P.Eng, principal at RDH Building Science and professor at the University of Waterloo, to get his insights on a topic that’s critical to the building industry: ensuring the highest quality. In particular, we discussed product substitutions and why they need to be handled with care.
What is a Health Product Declaration and Why Should You Care?
If you’re thinking, “How can an air- and water-resistive barrier be a health product?” first, let’s establish what a Health Product Declaration® (HPD) means. What is it? The HPD is a set of stringent regulations, set by the HPD Collaborative, used to document and report the material contents of building products and the health effects […]
The Future of Housewraps
Fifty+ years ago when we built homes, the only way we could protect them was to use “tar paper,” which is basically a version of tar-impregnated paper that contained asphalt. While these did the trick at the time, they were used mainly to prevent wind from getting through the home. What’s funny is that nostalgia […]
Top 10 Building Science Influencers to Watch in 2020
As the new year gets underway, we thought we’d take a moment to look back at 2019 to see who caught our attention and stood out for their impact on the building community.
Restoring Expectations and Driving Industry Change
Gavin Semrow, founder of Ai Restoration, is partnering with Dörken to help aid in the remediation process and educate building professionals on the dangers of improper stucco and manufactured stone cladding installation.
Brick, Stone, and Stucco Assemblies – Danger, Will Robinson…Danger*
Brick, stone, and stucco are proven claddings…except when they are not. They used to be, but not anymore. What changed? A bunch of things – one of which was/is the effect of inward vapor drive. Inward vapor drive is an issue where a “reservoir” cladding is located on the exterior of a wall assembly. What […]
Airtight Solutions for Open-joint Cladding
Open-joint cladding design elements are being applied by the world’s most advanced building professionals designing some of the most cutting-edge buildings. However, they require extra attention to manage the infiltration of exterior weather.
Meet the Individual Behind Dörken Innovation
Dörken has been developing products that set new standards for more than 125 years. Sustaining this level of success and growth depends on an innovation culture that we are consciously fostering and translating into practice at every level.
Just Like Your Skin, Your Housewrap Can Get a Burn
When builders think of ultraviolet (UV) rays, they don’t just consider the effects sun exposure has on their skin. They’re also thinking about the effect UV rays have on the homes they build.
Building Codes Don’t Have to Be Boring
With growing concern over climate change and severe weather incidents, seen across 150 countries during Climate Strike Fridays, building efficiency is in the spotlight.
CONSTRUCT is Our Back-To-School Event of the Year
Fall is always a good time to connect with colleagues and learn something new – likely a feeling left over from our school days. The upcoming CONSTRUCT AEC Education & Expo event in October provides the perfect opportunity to do both.
Insights from Dr. Joe Lstiburek: Ultraviolet Damage
Your building materials could be getting sunburned this summer, but it’s not visible to the naked eye. And, over time, this unseen damage will continue to get worse.
Back to basics: Differences between air and vapor barriers
More than 80 per cent of premature building deterioration is the result of moisture damage resulting from the dissolution of materials, reduction in effectiveness of insulation, and more. For this reason, building industry professionals know the importance of moisture control methods.
What You Can’t See Can Hurt You: How the Sun is Ruining Your Building Materials
Running behind schedule has an impact on more than your bottom line: it exposes building materials to harsh environmental conditions for longer than they are engineered to withstand. UV damage is a real issue with real consequences – yet it’s an issue that often gets overlooked
Four Trends from World’s Biggest Build Expo
It’s not easy staying on top of industry trends and new products, but 19 buildings filled with the industry’s brightest minds certainly makes it easier. The BAU trade show, held every two years in Munich, Germany, brings together every branch of the construction industry from across the world to exchange, share and build new ideas.
The Build Show Tours German Facility
When Matt Risinger was in Germany for the BAU 2019 trade fair, we invited The Build Show for an exclusive tour of our nearby high-tech Dörken production plant for a close look at how DELTA® air and moisture barriers come together. In 1995, Dörken brought its technological advancements to North America, though the state-of-the-art facility […]
Dörken Systems & Fine Homebuilding: Achieving the Net-zero Ideal
Today, net-zero energy initiatives are taking the building industry by storm. These are homes designed and built to generate as much energy as they consume, once all renewable energy systems are fully installed—with the goal of reducing the energy needed to maintain them. According to a standard set by the NZEC, net-zero energy structures are […]
Green Construction Starts with Using the Right Air Barrier
Today, many builders are increasingly leaning towards green construction. According to Canadian study World Green Building Trends 2018, 35% of Canadian firms who participated in the study report that more than 60% of their projects are green, and by 2021 the number of firms to achieve this is expected to rise to 48%. What’s interesting is […]
How Can Builders Avoid the Detrimental Effects of Wind-Driven Rain?
When it comes to maintaining a building’s integrity and longevity, protecting the building from factors that contribute to moisture-related issues is key. How do moisture-related issues materialize to begin with? According to research, wind-driven rain on a building’s façade is considered one of the largest sources of moisture2 and, most commonly, moisture is the number […]
A stunningly comfortable first impression
Clark University, located in Worcester, MA, is a widely respected research institution, particularly for its excellent science program. To reflect the cutting-edge research that is happening inside its buildings every day, the university is committed to investing in its campus exteriors, in hopes of attracting top students and faculty. That’s why, after three decades, it […]
Better-Designed Projects with BIM
Architects who use Building Information Modeling (BIM) on a regular basis agree it leads to better-designed projects. We believe BIM fundamentally alters and enhances the design process and here’s why. Saving Time BIM’s drawing tools are faster than those used for 2D or CAD. Because each object is connected to a database, updates are […]
