DIYbanter - View Single Post

On 2005-12-03, wrote:

... I understand plastic house wrap is an air barrier

Yes. It can cause condensation and rot if used outside insulation on a house
in a cold climate. I've read new houses in Minnesota have fallen down after
5 years because the studs rotted inside the vapor barriers.

Yes, I understand plastic house wrap will trap liquid moisture, so
vapor that condenses inside it will not be able to escape. That is
why I'm going to use 30 lb felt. Felt will slowly absorb liquid water
and then allow it to evaporate as it it dries. Drying will be aided
by the Home Slicker drainage plane I plan to use between the felt and
the cedar sidewall shingles.

But, the question I have is whether it would be useful and feasible to
seal the seams between courses of felt. So far I have heard it is not
feasible with tape, as tape will not stick to felt very well. Still,
would it be useful to seal the seams? That is, are the seams a
comparitively large source of air infiltration, relative to the felt
itself? If so, is there some other way of sealing the seams?

Thanks, Wayne