You should specify your housewrap with respect to the exposure of the house. A higher exposure house requires a more robust waterproofing strategy.
This house I’m currently building for Alterstudio Architecture certainly fits in the category of “High Exposure”. The architecture is amazing, but the house has very few roof overhangs. In short, the walls of the house will get wet every time it rains. Which means that we needed to treat the walls much as we treat the roof (with great care!)
So, let’s talk about Polyguard’s Aluma Flash. This is basically a Peel & Stick roofing product (similar to an ice protection membrane) that’s specifically designed for walls. It’s typically used in commercial construction and I’ve not seen it much on residential projects. This 40 mils thick product is just like most other Peel & Stick roof membranes, but the big differentiator on this product is the aluminum face. The aluminum facer means that this product has a VERY long exposure time before needing to be covered. We primed our plywood sheathing with a solvent based primer then rolled the Peel & Stick Aluma Flash onto the walls in 36″ lifts starting at the bottom and overlapping about 3″. It was on the walls for about 12 months before we were finally ready to cover it.
This product is extremely unique among the peel & sticks in the market because of the aluminum face and the longer exposure time it can handle. The custom homes I build are all designed by architects and are usually built in a time frame of 12+ months so that longer exposure is critical to me.
What steps do you take to waterproof the high exposure homes you build? Let me know in the comments section!
Best,
Matt Risinger
Risinger Homes in Austin, TX
Visit my Blog at www.MattRisinger.com
Risinger Homes is a custom builder and whole house remodeling contractor that specializes in Architect driven and fine craftsmanship work. We utilize an in-house carpentry staff and the latest building science research to build dramatically more efficient, healthy and durable homes.
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