Construction
Moisture is ever-present in our environment
Traditionally, home and commercial builders use a multi-layer approach for reducing the amount of moisture that enters a structure.
This leads to three issues:
1. Energy efficiency: Buildings need to be well insulated and airtight to trap heat, but these walls also tend to trap moisture.
2. Moisture control: Highly insulated wall assemblies are at increased risk of developing moisture problems. (DoE – Building America Program). Control layers are needed to prevent the infiltration of water into walls while also maintaining breathability so damp walls can dry.
3. Construction efficiency: Complex, multi-layer assemblies significantly increase the labor cost of construction.
On top if these issues, the manufacturing method in which these materials are created is outdated and environmentally damaging – using chemicals that are difficult or impossible to recycle and that can cause adverse health effects to occupants.
Source: Caitlin McCabe and Erin Arvedlund, “Rotting from Within”, Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 15, 2018; photo by Kevin Thompson
Each year, water damage costs home and businesses $13 billion, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Traditionally, home and commercial builders use a multi-layer approach for reducing the amount of moisture that enters a structure.
In doing so, builders face three core challenges:
- Energy efficiency: Buildings need to be well insulated and airtight to trap heat, but these walls also tend to trap moisture.
- Moisture control: Highly insulated wall assemblies, such as those in existing water-resistive barriers offered by Tyvek™ or ZIP System™, are at increased risk of developing moisture problems. Control layers are needed to prevent the infiltration of water into walls while also maintaining breathability so damp walls can dry.
- Construction efficiency: Complex, multi-layer assemblies significantly increase the labor cost of construction.
On top of these issues, the manufacturing method in which these materials are created is environmentally damaging – relying on chemicals that are difficult or impossible to recycle – and their lifespan is limited.
Exacerbating the challenge, once water damage behinds, mold can begin to grow and lead to additional health issues to occupants.
Moisture damage in construction is fundamental and faced by even the highest-end builders
Water damage to building structures is not a problem reserved for low-quality build projects.
One major construction company, who tout their “50+ years of experience building luxury homes” and promise that “you are choosing the best in the business … impeccable standards … reflected in every home we build."
What was the company's liabilities for moisture damage in 2018? $324 million.
Transforming building products
Construction has a solution to its biggest challenge in Adept Materials.
Adept Materials’ novel overlay technology with directional moisture control protects engineered wood products from mold growth. The two-layer system provides high outward drying potential while significantly retarding inward vapor diffusion in wet conditions.
As a result, OSB never exceeds the mold growth threshold of 80% -- thus protecting the building and its occupants’ health.
Why Adept Materials Outperforms Conventional Products
Directional moisture-control overlays have a unique ability to pump moisture away from the wood panel. The film opens and closes to water vapor in a daily cycle and, with each cycle, more moisture is released than absorbed. Conventional water resistive barriers are vapor permeable, but not directional. They allow moisture to escape from damp materials, but they also allow moisture to enter just as easily in wet conditions when the vapor drive is inward. Vapor impermeable layers don’t solve the problem, because while they can resist the entry of moisture, they also trap moisture in damp sheathing.
