Thanks Alan and RT.<div>Just to clarify what you are saying Alan. The soft brick does let moisture through (the owners are working on eliminating the moisture issues that are currently present from roof leaks, window details and an existing gutter system) and spalling is occurring. Not on the scale that RT mentioned but from 3 stories up a chunk of brick could put a good dent in your dome. This past winter there was frost and ice on the interior of the building along with a 2 story moss patch from the downspout anchors.<br>
But back to air sealing. I should have brought up the lack of a drainage plane in the description and I find the issue problematic and according to Building Science Corporation (as well as the US-DOE and the Building America site) the building is in a cold climate (<a href="http://www.buildingscience.com/doctypes/enclosures-that-work/etw-building-profiles">http://www.buildingscience.com/doctypes/enclosures-that-work/etw-building-profiles</a>) and when Alan says: <br>
<blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" class="gmail_quote">I'd be inclined to omit these membranes altogether, and go with an
airtight-ish drywall or plaster finish, coated with latex primer and
paint, to achieve the maximum possible permeability.
</blockquote><div><br></div>are you recommending against rigid insulation over the studs to allow permeability and drying to the inside? <br>We could easily install 5.5" thick (R-23 US) rockwool and still have an inch + clearance between the insulation and brick which would be a decent outcome compared to the wood planks and lathe, which is the current insulation but wouldn't address thermal bridging of the studs and there are a lot of studs at 1' on center. With insulation and "air tight-ish" wall covering it would likely improve the comfort of the interior space greatly but wouldn't necessarily be energy efficient.<br>
<br>There is a ground loop geo-thermal system installed but have yet to get the particulars of it and am not overly familiar working with them.<br><br>Thanks for your time<br><br>Sam<br><br><br><br> <br><br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 10:47 AM, Alan Abrams <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:alan@abramsdesignbuild.com" target="_blank">alan@abramsdesignbuild.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>I agree with RT that the air barrier should occur in at the interior, but given the porousity of vintage brick and other elements, would select the most permeable material possible for that purpose. Intello has a fabric-like product that resists vapor diffusion into the wall in winter, and allows drying to the interior in summer. that might be appropriate for your climate, but it also assumes mechanical dehumidification in warm weather.</div>
<div><br></div><div>given the absence of an effective drainage plane and the effects of vapor drive to the interior when sunlight hits rainsoaked bricks, I'd be inclined to omit these membranes altogether, and go with an airtight-ish drywall or plaster finish, coated with latex primer and paint, to achieve the maximum possible permeability.</div>
<div><br></div><div><font><font><span style="color:rgb(102,0,0)">Alan Abrams</span></font><b style="color:rgb(102,0,0)"><br></b><i><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">certified professional building designer, AIBD<br>certified passive house consultant, PHIUS</span></i></font><div>
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<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 8:57 AM, RT <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:archilogic@yahoo.ca" target="_blank">archilogic@yahoo.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
On Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:01:12 -0400, Sam Ewbank <<a href="mailto:g.l.ewbank@gmail.com" target="_blank">g.l.ewbank@gmail.com</a>><br>
wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
If we don't reinstall the sheething we would need to install<br>
some other sheer bracing (the sheething boards vary in width from 8" to 30"<br>
and material including cherry, poplar and butter nut).<br>
What about air sealing? Trying to seal the existing sheething would be<br>
difficult to say the least. Would the gypsum plaster be adequate?<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Sorry. When I mentioned that the plank sheathing should be salvaged, I<br>
just assumed that it would be re-purposed or sold.<br>
<br>
Whatever function it's currently serving in the structure can be done better<br>
by some cheaper, 21st C sheathing material.<br>
<br>
Old, wide, dry hardwood planks, never exposed to weather would probably be<br>
the equivalent of gold in the decor market.<br>
<br>
It was also assumed that the plank sheathing and wood lath (total<br>
thickness 1.5" or so ) would be replaced with something that would provide<br>
functions of continuous air barrier, shear bracing and possibly more<br>
R-value. (You had mentioned rigid ins.)<br>
<br>
If I were doing it, I'd consider creating the air barrier plane (possibly<br>
OSB or board insulation + let-in bracing ... joints sealed) on the<br>
interior face of the studs, taking care to ensure continuity across the<br>
joists-balloon studs junction (ie moisture piggy-backed on air leakage<br>
could be the Kiss of Death for the brick veneer. ie wet brick no longer<br>
kept warm by heat loss would be subject to frost action that result in<br>
spalling that could look like the building had been in a war zone and hit<br>
by artillery fire.)<br>
<br>
Then any services (plumbing, electrical) that needs to go in the exterior<br>
walls could be installed on the interior of the air barrier without any<br>
concerns about sub-trades compromising the A/B's integrity.<br>
<br>
3-coat, wet applied plaster can be an effective air barrier material but maintaining the continuity of the air barrier across the stud/joists junction would still be an issue that needs to be addressed.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
=== * ===<br>
Rob Tom AOD257<br>
Kanata, Ontario, Canada<br>
<br>
< A r c h i L o g i c at Y a h o o dot c a ><br>
(manually winnow the chaff from my edress if you hit "reply")<br>
<br>
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</div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Sam Ewbank<div><blockquote style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br><blockquote><b style="line-height:19px;font-size:13px;font-family:sans-serif">Nature is trying very hard to make us succeed, but nature does not depend on us. We are not the only experiment.-Buckminster Fuller</b></blockquote>
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