Integrity of Blueskin Housewrap Left Exposed for Months
We finally got the material to finish the job but we are over 150 days of exposure now which according to VP100 spec sheet is the max amount of exposure.
When it was installed we used a primer
It is pretty wrinkled ( probably from the elements but it still is adhered to the strapping.
We did use a roller when we applied it and it was pretty smooth but it seems more wrinkled now )
this is an inside parapet wall with the other side completely covered.
We will be adding furring strips and will install the metal siding to those.
We need advice on if this needs to be removed ( not sure how ), if we can leave it as is, or if we should put something over it ( if that is even possible, meaning maybe an extra layer of WRB ). I would have to buy more Blueskin but I do have extra Typar from another job and I could put it over the Blueskin for extra protection if it is deemed that that Blueskin is past it’s expiry date.
I am located in Manitoba. We had snow in the winter but not much, not a lot of sun either and have had hardly any rain since the snow melted. In other words perfect weather for this location and not much wear and tear on the weather barrier.
Thanks any advice is appreciated.
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In my mind where and when you are exposed matters more than the day count. If the limit is about UV light exposure, one hundred summer days in Tucson you will collect more UV exposure than years in Manitoba.
With that said if it is your home I say use common sense. If this is a paid job that could wind up in court follow the printed instruction to the letter.
Walta
Try contacting the manufacturer, see what they would recommend here. This should be an easy thing to answer since it's basically "I left it out this long, is it still OK?".
For future projects, I like to recommend a sacrificial covering for things like this. If you think you'll be away for a while, and will be leaving something exposed that shouldn't normally be left exposed, put something over the sensitive material so that you have a barrier that can be easily removed in the future prior to completing the project. Regular housewrap often works well for this purpose, and has the advantage that it's not a vapor barrier. Black polyethylene sheet also works, but is a vapor barrier so can sometimes be a problem for moisture accumulation on or in whatever it is that you're trying to protect.
Bill
Thanks to both of you for the advice, and yes this is a case of "I left it out too long." I did try the manufacturer, but didn't hear anything back yet. It's my house so it's my problem now if I don't fix this right and seeing how there isn't much area to do I thought about just adding another layer of Blueskin. (Maybe this is overkill?)
There was previously acrylic stucco on the house, which wasn't sealed/installed properly and water got in behind the stucco and rotted out the OSB from the inside. The entire stucco exterior had to be removed and probably 1/3 of the house's sheathing need to be replaced. We used Plywood instead of OSB this time around and Blueskin rather than Typar where we replaced the sheathing (although Typar wasn't the cause of the damage we had. )
We are just trying to make sure that this is as waterproof as we can possible make it.
Call the local rep listed on the Henry web site. My local rep was very helpful, made several trips to our job site.
I would be shocked if you get anything in writing from the manufacture that would be different than the product instructions.
The liability is just too big, marketing wrote them engineering and the lawyers approved the words. My guess is no one that wants to keep their job going to do more than repeat the approved words if they return your call.
If you happened to be a large repeat customer and were on a first name basis with the rep maybe.
Walta
You can usually get an informal "yeah, we recommend less than 90 days exposure, but the product doesn't really start to degrade until 120+ days" type of response. They don't want to guarantee anything outside what they state in their formal documentation, but you can often get a bit of info for unusual circumstances as long as you don't act like you're after them for faults with their product or anything like that.
Bill
DJR70,
Just put the Typar you have left over it. The BB stores also sell small amounts of Tyvek in 3 ft widths. Either will work fine.
I am pretty worried about this myself; wondering if we should switch to something with a longer exposure time. But I do have my Rockwool purchased so as long as it comes when it's supposed to and I can get it installed, I will be okay.
My worry is about delays causing the blueskin application to go into winter, because it's supposed to be above 40 degrees for install. But I think there are primers for cold weather. I'm planning to call them Monday about that.
Did you have any trouble with the Blueskin sticking to itself? I've been warned about that but don't know if it's really an issue.
Thanks for your input, I think I have the info I need to more forward.
qofmiwok - We put the Blueskin on when it was about +5C (40F) . We used a Blueskin primer which helped to adhere it. I wouldn't put it on much colder than this as I believe they don't recommend installing in temperatures less than -7°C (20°F).
It did not stick that well in +5C (40F) without the primer so we used one and it worked well.
Yes you have to be careful installing it. Once the back is removed and and it sticks to itself good luck separating it. (although it wasn't as bad in cold weather, if it sticks together in warm weather forget about it) If you are careful you will be fine but if you are working with longer lengths it wil help to have 2 people do it.
Also be sure to have a "J-Roller" when you install it to smooth out the wrinkles. They work really well.
Gook luck