Should I be concerned that my builder is using a perforated housewrap in a hot and humid climate?
laloel
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
New construction. Houston, Texas. Brick wall. Plywood sheathing. Will be using wet blown cellulose for wall insulation. My builder started using Tyvek housewrap for half the house and is using a lumberyard name wrap (Stock) for the rest of the house. The Tyvek looks and feels stronger.
Thank you
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Replies
Josh,
The quality of the installation is much more important that the brand of housewrap.
In general, I don't like perforated housewrap, but as long as the wall is well detailed, you will probably be OK. Remember, Tyvek is also vapor-permeable.
In your climate, you have to be somewhat concerned about inward solar vapor drive. That's why rigid foam sheathing is a much better choice behind brick veneer than plywood. However, as long as your wall assembly doesn't include interior polyethylene, and as long as you don't install vinyl wallpaper, and as long as you don't glue any mirrors to the wall, your wall assembly will probably be OK -- as long as your mason doesn't allow mortar to clog the air space behind the bricks, and as long as the wall has weep holes at the bottom, and as long as all of your windows and other interruptions are properly flashed.
Martin, thank you for the reply. The wall details you mentioned will be followed. Before I got your reply, I had already said something to the builder. He said he could add a layer of Tyvek housewrap to the lumberyard perforated wrap already in place. There would not be any extra cost to me. Would I be doing more harm than good if I add Tyvek to the lumberyard wrap?
Josh,
Two layers of housewrap are fine.