What is a Durable and Resilient Wall System?

A durable and resilient wall system is one that can safely and effectively handle all the elements thrown at it, including heavy wind, rain, snow, ice, severe heat, hurricane forces, and everything in between. The real challenge is that during all of those varying weather events, the occupants expect to remain at a comfortable 68 degrees Fahrenheit / 18 degrees Celsius and 45% relative humidity at all times.

Our homes' walls have a formidable job and are continually being put through significant wear and tear. Consider a deep winter in a frigid climate. One side of the wall could be 68F/18C, while the other side could be -4F/-20C. That is a tremendous strain on a wall system. At any given point, a wall could be hitting the freezing point of 32F/0C while another section is also hitting the dew point (the temperature at which air vapor turns to liquid water). Ideally, all of this flux is happening where it should and is designed to happen, and nothing goes wrong. But as homeowners, we know that the ideal is not always reality. With these challenges in mind, let's dive into the details of durable and resilient walls.

What Does The Air Control Layer Do?

Air leakage can bring in colder air or humid air, and that air will condense on an interior surface, like the back of your drywall. This air leakage can cause condensation, which can then lead to mold. Air leakage is, after liquid water leakage, the most damaging failure for a building. This risk is why having an energy audit on your existing home is an excellent idea for durability and resiliency. The audit must include a blower door test to measure the air leakiness of your home.

As the second most important layer, the air barrier might be recognized as "Tyvek" on new homes—a product that seems to wrap the house in plastic. There are many more modern approaches to airtight construction now, such as peel-and-stick membranes and airtight exterior sheathing with special tapes to seal the joints. As with the rain control layer, the devil is in the details of the installation. Every time there is a joint or hole (windows, doors, etc.), there needs to be a fix. After the plumbers run hose bibs, after the electricians run outdoor lights, after the windows and doors are installed, it all needs to be appropriately detailed. The good thing about air sealing is that most new construction also has airtight drywall on the interior wall that acts as a "second" air control later—further decreasing the chances of water damage.