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Posts tagged building durability
The Case for Dedicated Dehumidification In Sealed Attics
The Case for Dedicated Dehumidification In Sealed Attics

Modern building design increasingly embraces sealed attic construction as a strategy to enhance energy efficiency and improve air leakage control, particularly beneficial for the performance of HVAC ductwork. This approach, where the attic space is brought within the building's thermal and air control envelope, fundamentally alters the moisture dynamics compared to traditional vented attics. While offering significant advantages, sealed attics introduce unique moisture challenges that demand precise and active management to prevent long-term durability issues and maintain superior indoor air quality.

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Building Science, Architectural Design, Building Enclosure, Dehumidification, Healthy Home, Filtration, High Performance Homes, HVAC, Indoor Air Quality, Mechanical DesignPositive EnergySealed attics, dedicated dehumidification, moisture control, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, HVAC systems, air leakage, building durability, condensation risks, mold growth, air barrier, thermal barrier, insulation, roof deck temperature, building codes (IRC), ASHRAE standards, unconditioned attics, conditioned attics, psychrometrics, vapor control, duct performance, latent load, sensible load, building science principles, dew point, hygric buffering, controlled ventilation, air sealing, maintenance issues, cross-contamination, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pests, allergens, duct leakage, system strain, pressure balancing, wood framing, sheathing, building envelope, resilience, sustainability, dehumidifier sizing, condensate management, building science experts, MEP engineering.
Rethinking Moisture Control: The Primacy of Air Tightness Over an Outdated Fixation on Vapor Barriers in Building Envelope Design
Rethinking Moisture Control: The Primacy of Air Tightness Over an Outdated Fixation on Vapor Barriers in Building Envelope Design

For decades, the architecture and construction community has engaged in a persistent debate surrounding the role and necessity of vapor barriers in building envelope design. This discussion, while touching on critical aspects of moisture control, has often been characterized by an overemphasis on the ability of specific materials to resist vapor diffusion, sometimes to the detriment of addressing more significant moisture transport mechanisms. Within the building science community, however, the principles governing moisture movement are largely considered settled science. It is well-established that air leakage, rather than vapor diffusion, is the predominant pathway for moisture transport through most wall assemblies.

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Building EnclosurePositive EnergyVapor Barriers, Air Barriers, Building Envelope, Building Science, Moisture Management, Dehumidification, Durability, Resiliency, Air tightness, vapor barriers, moisture control, building envelope design, moisture transport mechanisms, air leakage, vapor diffusion, air barrier systems, historical context of vapor barriers, evolution of vapor barrier science, bulk water intrusion, capillary action, air-transported moisture, defining air barriers, defining vapor retarders, air permeance, water vapor permeance, dew point temperature, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, building durability, acoustic control, continuity of air barrier, dedicated dehumidification, climate-specific vapor control, reservoir claddings, solar-driven inward vapor drive, ventilated rainscreen, "smart" vapor retarders, moving forward with air tightness, recommendations for architecture and construction, building codes and standards, quality assurance/quality control