Making Air Barriers that Work:
Why and How to Tighten Up Buildings

An air barrier is any material that is impermeable to airflow, including drywall, closed-cell foam insulation, peel-and-stick membranes, oriented-strand board, and many other materials with very low measurements for air permeability. Making an air barrier part of a building means more than just specifying certain materials, however. The air barrier needs to be continuous around the space it is designed to enclose, whether that’s the entire building or a unit within it. It needs to be able to maintain its function...