One may notice a house under construction wrapped in a white sheet that says Tyvek. This is a house wrap that envelopes the structure of a home before the installation of metal siding. Is this essential for a house? We have asked the experts and we have the answers for you.
The metal siding needs a Tyvek underneath it. A house is prone to water retention and moisture without a house wrap. Tyvek house wrap provides extra protection for your house from water and air seeping through the walls.
Tyvek has a lot of advantages you can utilize. Continue reading below to get insights on Tyvek house wraps and how to use them correctly.
Why Use Tyvek?
A house wrap is one of your home's best defenses from weather changes. It acts as a moisture and air barrier after the wall siding.
Dupont makes one of the most popular house wraps. The Tyvek house wrap is designed to protect the whole structure of a house.
It can be installed quickly, and it greatly improves the structural integrity of the house. The Tyvek's overlapping feature secures the corners and edges.
Water Protection
Water, moisture, and air can still penetrate through the siding. The wall siding may have cracks and small holes, so another line of defense is needed.
The rainy seasons can test the reliability of home wraps. Water can penetrate through the siding and damage the interior wall. Clogged gutters can cause water to leak and flow into the walls as well.
Using a Tyvek house wrap ensures water does not enter through the walls of houses. This is because it's made with a water-resistant barrier, minimizing water absorption significantly.
Mold Growth Prevention
Moisture build-up happens when water stays in between the siding and the wall. You want to avoid this as mold spores can grow and spread in damp areas.
Mold causes rotting and damage to the house's drywall or plywood inner wall. Also, damp wall sheathing can rot with mold growth. Damaged walls and sheathing compromises the structural integrity of the house.
Increases Energy Efficiency
H0uses with Tyvek house wrap are more energy efficient. It covers the walls to reduce the air that enters and affects the temperature inside the house. This will protect the house's cooling system, letting you save on electric costs.
The cooling system of the house works double time when hot air enters. The same goes for cold air. This means that the HVAC system will need more energy to warm or cool the room.
A house wrap also protects the home's insulation material. Wet insulation reduces energy efficiency. It lowers the R-Value or the thermal resistance of the house and energy bills go up.
Regulates Humidity Level
Dupont has a proprietary technology that develops a film on the house wrap. The film covers the house wrap so the moisture can exit but not enter. This provides breathable air and not heavy air inside the homes.
Tyvek house wrap has high-vapor permeability thus allowing water vapor to pass through walls. This regulates the humidity level inside the house.
Low humidity means that the air inside the house has less moisture. The house will feel cooler and the cooling system does not need to work double time to cool the room. This translates to more savings on energy costs.
Is Tyvek more expensive than other home wraps?
Tyvek material cost plus installation ranges from $500 - $1000. This is based on a 1,000 sq. ft coverage. The price will differ on the installation cost and area.
There are cheaper options for house wraps but, Tyvek is a good investment in the long run. Tyvek is far superior in terms of protection and durability compared to other brands.
Tyvek House Wrap Material
Each sheet of Tyvek Home Wrap is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers. A continuous and strong web is formed when the fibers are spun together. This results in the creation of tiny pores and not holes.
The tiny pores allow water vapor to pass through so moisture does not stay in the middle layers of the wall structure.
At the same time, it does not allow water or air to penetrate which can affect the strength of the wall as well as the humidity inside the homes.
What Does Tyvek Offer?
That being said, Tyvek house wrap gives homeowners peace of mind that their houses are protected from damage caused by water and moisture. They can also sleep soundly during storms and heavy rain.
This product gives assurance as well that the structure will not be in danger of rotting or weakening. The added protection more than compensates for the cost of installing house wrap.
The cheaper house wraps have a low permeability rate. Moisture accumulates on the house wrap and saturates the sheathing. This leads to damage to both building materials.
Tyvek is one of the products that have a high permeability rate. It keeps the sheathing dry in different climates. Thus, there are low chances of moisture-related issues.
How Durable Are Housewraps?
A house wrap can last as long as the house is intact. The exterior wall cladding protects it from the outside elements. Its material also is made of durable material.
However, some factors can affect the durability of the house wrap.
Ultraviolet Light-Resistant
Each house wrap brand gets a UV rating. This indicates how long it will maintain its strength under sun exposure.
UV rays can affect the synthetic material. Too much exposure to UV rays can wear out the material and lessen its effectiveness to be a good barrier to air and water.
Tensile Strength
You need to choose a house wrap that is tear resistant. This protects the inner wall from getting damaged by water and air penetration.
A house wrap's durability is affected by its ability to resist breakage when force is applied.
Cold-Resistant
House wrap keeps your insulation working better especially during the cold season. So, it should not crack when the temperature is low. This is a good way to determine if the house wrap is cold-resistant.
Surfactant-Resistant
Contaminants like soap and oil are surfactants that reduce the surface tension of water. The wrap has to be surfactant resistant so it will not absorb water and retain in between the walls.
How to Install House Wrap
A professional contractor should work on house wrap installation. This minimizes installation errors as they have the expertise and skills to install the material properly.
Here are some tips to check if the house wrap is installed correctly:
Cover the Whole House
A house owner can check that the house wrap is installed from the bottom to the top of the outer wall. This should be installed before the windows and doors are put in place.
The edges of the window and doors should be covered extending to the inside frame.
Check this Tyvek House Wrap on Amazon
Close Gaps
Check too that there are no gaps when installing the house wrap. Its edge should also overlap and be sealed.
Tyvek offers high-quality sheathing tape to ensure house wrap is stuck to each other securely. It seals the seam on all sides to give an added barrier to air and water.
Check this Tyvek sheathing tape on Amazon
Cap Nails & Cap Staples
A cap nail or cap staples are used to securely attach the house wrap to the sheathing. Doing this ensures that the house wrap will not be blown away before the metal siding is installed.
A cap nail has great holding power to keep the house wrap in place between the wall and siding. But this is a more tedious process.
Check this round plastic cap nail on Amazon
Use a cap stapler for faster work on securing the house wrap to the sheathing especially when the metal siding is not yet in place.
Check this cap stapler on Amazon
Cover with Wall Cladding
UV exposure affects the effectiveness of house wrap. It has to be covered by wall cladding between 4 to 9 months from installation.
Longer exposure to the sun and other weather elements will make the house wrap susceptible to leaks and damage.
In Conclusion
Dupont's Tyvek house wrap is synthetically made. This provides a good barrier to air and water penetration. The barrier protects the wall from rotting which can affect the rest of the house structure.
We hope you got insights on house wraps from this article. For other house concerns, we have these articles:
How To Replace Siding On A House [Step By Step Guide]
Should Gutters Match Fascia, Roof, Or House?
Do Decks Have To Be Attached To The House?
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