Beyond Waterproofing: How Fluid-Applied Air Barrier Enhance Exterior Protection

In a changing environment, it’s crucial to protect your homes from external elements, such as moisture, wind, and pollutants. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about keeping them strong, lasting long, and having a healthy indoor space.

While traditional waterproofing methods are common, fluid applied air barriers, combined with exterior waterproofing, offer a modern solution to enhance exterior protection. They seamlessly shield against air and water infiltration.

To discuss further, this blog aims to explain the benefits of air barriers and show how seamlessly they enhance traditional waterproofing, ensuring your property stands strong against nature’s challenges.

What is a fluid-applied air barrier?

An air barrier plays a critical role in the protective layer of your home or buildings. It stops air from freely flowing in and out through the outer walls.

Unlike traditional barriers, fluid-applied air barriers create a seamless membrane when cured, effectively sealing against air infiltration. Their effectiveness lies in their ability to fill gaps and cracks, providing superior protection against air leaks and moisture. 

This innovative solution adheres to different surfaces, including concrete, wood, and metal, ensuring comprehensive coverage. By creating airtight environments, fluid applied air barriers prevent energy loss and reduce moisture infiltration, enhancing overall structural performance. 

How do fluid-applied air barriers work?

Fluid-applied air barriers are liquid-applied and cured to form a continuous, seamless membrane. This allows easy application on uneven surfaces, covers everything well, and stops air leaks.

These barriers prevent moisture from causing water damage and mold. They fill gaps better than regular barriers, making them more effective.

Fluid-applied barriers can be customized to specific needs, are available in water- or solvent-based formulations, and can be colored to match the exterior’s aesthetics. While mainly used in commercial buildings, they are increasingly used in high-end residential construction, highlighting their energy efficiency and structural integrity benefits.

The benefits of using fluid-applied air barriers 

Fluid-applied air barriers offer more than superior waterproofing and air sealing. They offer extra advantages that can greatly affect the environment and your home, such as;

1. Superior Waterproofing and Air Sealing
   First, air barriers provide enhanced resistance to water infiltration. This means your property is better protected against potential water damage and decay during heavy rains and storms. The improved air barrier performance also makes your building more airtight, helping keep the inside air at the right temperature.
2. Structural Durability and Longevity
   Air barriers help structures last longer by preventing too much moisture and lowering the chance of rot, rust, and other water damage. This protection keeps buildings strong and working well for a long time, reducing how often they need fixing or replacing.
   
3. Energy Efficiency
   Air barriers are crucial for saving energy. By sealing off air leaks, they can significantly reduce air leakage by up to 85%, resulting in major savings on heating and cooling bills—up to 40% on natural gas and 25% on electricity costs. This makes air barriers not only cost-effective but also helps in reducing carbon footprints by using less energy.
   
4. Improved Indoor Comfort
   Air barriers prevent air leakage and improve indoor comfort by minimizing drafts and keeping temperatures consistent. This is especially important in extreme weather conditions, where proper insulation and air sealing are crucial for maintaining a comfortable living or working environment.
   
5. Moisture Prevention
   They help keep out moisture in humid areas, lowering the chances of mold and mildew growth, which can harm the structural components and occupants’ health.
   
6. Enhanced Indoor Air Quality
   Properly installed air barriers help to keep out contaminants and pollutants infiltration. This makes the air inside cleaner and improves living conditions, especially in cities where outdoor air quality may be compromised.
   
7. Cost-Effectiveness
   The cost-effectiveness of air barriers extends beyond immediate savings on energy bills. Their role in maintaining structural integrity, preventing moisture damage, and reducing the need for costly repairs over time positions them as a smart investment for any construction or renovation project. They offer long-term financial benefits alongside improved living and environmental conditions.

Understanding this, you see how crucial it is to use this technology in your exterior protection strategies for a stronger, more resilient structure. Perhaps, the  Air Barrier Association of America emphasizes the need for effective air sealing in construction. 

Adding air barriers to your building strategy protects your property from environmental threats and saves on expenses. It’s a smart choice today that pays off tomorrow.

Project example: Enhancing new bank construction with fluid-applied air barriers

The LUX Foundation Solutions team was contracted to apply a liquid air barrier coating to the entire exterior of a new construction bank.

Project Goal: 

Provide comprehensive exterior protection for a new bank building, ensuring it is air and waterproof.

Challenges: 

The project required a seamless application over the entire exterior framing system to prevent any potential air and water infiltration.

Solution: 

We applied a fluid air barrier coating, which acts as both an air and waterproof membrane, across the entire exterior surface.

LUX Process:

• Surface Preparation: Ensured the exterior framing system was clean and primed for optimal adhesion.
• Application: Uniform application of the liquid air barrier coating to form a continuous, monolithic membrane.
• Results: The fluid-applied air barrier effectively sealed the building, providing superior protection against air leaks and moisture ingress.

Outcome: 

The new bank building now enjoys enhanced durability and energy efficiency, ensuring a comfortable and protected environment for its occupants.

This project highlights the practical benefits of fluid-applied air barriers, demonstrating their capability to provide superior protection in new construction projects. It demonstrates the benefits discussed earlier, such as improved energy efficiency, durability, and comprehensive coverage, even for buildings with complex designs.

DIY vs. Professional fluid-applied air barrier application

When applying fluid air barriers, there’s a choice between DIY approaches and professional installation.

Some homeowners may opt for a DIY approach to save costs. However, DIY applications risk uneven coverage, thickness, and missed spots due to inadequate equipment and experience. This compromises energy efficiency and exposes the building to leaks.

In contrast, professional installation offers expertise and experience. They ensure proper surface preparation, optimal thickness, and identification of potential issues using high-quality materials and tools. 

Professional installation maintains the building’s integrity, improves energy efficiency, and guarantees a durable barrier, outweighing the initial cost savings of DIY.

Secure your property’s exterior protection: Trust LUX  fluid applied Air barriers application

Fluid-applied air barriers offer excellent exterior protection against air and water seepage. Investing in this innovative solution is a smart choice for any repair or renovation project’s exterior protection.

At LUX Foundation Solutions, we specialize in applying these innovative barriers to protect your property against environmental dangers. When you need proven, cost-effective waterproofing solutions for your next residential or commercial project, count on our team at LUX Foundation Solutions. Call 540-508-8587 to schedule service, or fill out the form below for a free estimate today.

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