Weathered OSB Air and Water Leakage Testing

Millions of dollars are spent each year replacing windows in the hope of increasing building energy efficiency. However, laboratory tests of window installations using Silyl Terminated Poly Ether (STPE) fluid-applied rough opening preparation and window installation products and methods versus older peel&stick and building sheetwrap technology show that the former out-performs the latter 0.17 Air Changes per Hour to 7.01 ACH. So, there is reason to believe that window replacement energy savings due to new and improved windows is being undermined by installation methods and materials. This paper takes the inquiry away from the laboratory test chamber and out into the field to explore the difference in air leakage attributable to the window installation (i.e., the interface of the window frame and the rough opening) before and after utilization of the cutting-edge STPE products. Given the vast number of existing buildings that could benefit from effective treatment of rough openings and installation of the windows, the results of this research could have a dramatic impact on the real energy savings that occur.

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