On Sunday, December 7, 2014 11:05:22 PM UTC-5, wrote:
This is about that plastic wrapping they use to cover the exterior of a
house under the siding. (Not a house that plays Rap Music)

Anyhow, it seems that every new house built, and every house that gets
new siding, is covered with this plastic wrap. Then, they use a wide
tape, and apply the tape around doors and windows. The end result is a
home that is similar to living inside a huge plastic bag.

First, I have wondered if the people living in these houses are getting
enough oxygen to breathe, particularly if they are retired older people
who dont go out much.

Second, doesn't all the moisture inside the house get trapped in the
walls, which will cause the wood to rot? (And most new homes are built
with chip board, which does not hold up well in moist conditions).

Somehow, I dont agree with the use of this material, and would not use
it on my own home, if I was going to build a new house or reside (which
I am not planning to do either).

Years ago, they applied tar paper, which was a paper coated with tar.
That would shed any water that got beneath the siding, but still allowed
for ventilation. To me, that made more sense, and it worked pretty
well. It was not taped around doors and windows, but was often left so
the door or window frame would overlap it, and form a tight seal.

What you're saying would largely be true, if it were just a plastic
wrap that was totally impermeable. It's Tyvek or similar, which keeps
rain and wind out, but at the same time, allows water vapor to pass.

Houses today are built with a lot less air infiltration than they had
100 years ago, or even decades ago. But I think there is still plenty
of air exchange due to leakage. And if you want more air exchange,
a heat recovery ventilator can be added. That's a much better way of
getting fresh air than having leakage, because most of the heat is
saved as opposed to going out the window, so to speak.