[Greenbuilding] Water Barrier

[John Straube]

A critical issue that causes problems.
A vapor barrier is a layer or assembly that resists vapour diffusion.  It can let liquid water through and let air flow through and still be a vapour barrier.

On 2013-03-01, at 9:58 AM, Sacie Lambertson <sacie.lambertson at gmail.com> wrote:

> Opps, stand corrected.  That said, is not a vapor barrier essentially one that controls moisture gaining access where it isn't wanted?  Wouldn't this be true regardless of whether it is wind-driven rain or less ebullient water intrusion?  We in fact experience both, when the wind blows it in or when without rain moisture simply permeates the wall, leaving a stain in its wake.  it is rare admittedly.
> 
> I'm happy to be educated.
> 
> Sacie
> 
> On Fri, Mar 1, 2013 at 6:32 AM, John Straube <jfstraube at gmail.com> wrote:
> It speaks to the problem of not having a water barrier.  You have a vapour barrier.
> Adding lapped building paper, then furring, then another layer of stucco would be a good design fix for Sacie's example.
> Then you need to integrate the water barrier of the wall with the drainage upper windows and doors and you have a good system.
> 
> On 2013-02-28, at 6:04 PM, Sacie Lambertson <sacie.lambertson at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Thanks to the specs and our willingness to try something new, we built a house made entirely of 6" EPS walls reinforced with metal, no wood, no vapor barrier, stucco inside and out.  It definitely leaks.  When the winds blows and it rains, water is driven through the assembly and occasionally actually runs down the walls, ie that much.  Fortunately for the walls, Kansas has not experienced a lot of rain lately.  Normally we get about the same as do you in Virginia.
> >
> > Not the same as your situation but definitely speaks to the problem of not having any vapor barrier.
> >
> > Sacie
> >
> >
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> John Straube
> www.JohnStraube.com
> 
> 
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John Straube
www.JohnStraube.com