Stay dry: Why rain resistance matters when choosing an air barrier

Imagine your contractor’s crew has just spent the day installing a fluid-applied air barrier on the exterior wall of your building, taking care to get a nice, consistent thickness to ensure proper performance.

Then, it happens.

Out of nowhere, a rain shower appears. You look at the wall only to see your nice, new air barrier running down the wall in streaks. Back to square one, wasting hours of time and costly labor.

Unpredictable weather is always a factor in building projects. But it doesn’t have to rain on your air barrier parade. A new generation of vapor permeable fluid-applied air barriers offers the added advantage of early rain resistance. Soon after application, the membrane can withstand a light rain, preserving your investment in time, labor and material.

The key is in the chemistry—air barrier formulations, using silyl-terminated polyether (STPE) technology. As the fluid is applied, a chemical reaction occurs that begins curing the material rapidly, resulting in light rain resistance.

Rain-resistant air barriers are particularly valuable for use in climates where rain is a constant companion—from the Pacific Northwest to the East coast. But even in less extreme climates, rain can threaten project schedules. Using a rain-resistant air barrier may help avoid financial liabilities due to project delays, which means one less potential problem to worry about.

Of course, that advantage is only valuable if the resulting membrane performs as required. The new PERM-A-BARRIER® VPL 50 roller-applied air barrier from Chemix Applied Technologies proves just that – you don’t have to sacrifice performance to enjoy rain resistance.

The PERM-A-BARRIER® VPL 50 air barrier advanced STPE technology enables high coverage rates and excellent elongation. The membrane is flexible and durable. It meets critical air barrier industry standards and is NFPA 285 compliant in a number of wall assemblies.

Rain is always a potential threat. But now there’s a solution that protects your building and its occupants, as well as your project schedule.

To learn more about our new rain-resistant PERM-A-BARRIER® VPL 50 liquid-applied air barrier and its STPE technology, contact us today.