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Red-Pen Test for Air Barrier

Tim C| Posted inGeneral Questionson

Hi,
I’m building a single family residence in WA state (zone 4 Marine).

Floor:
Stegohome vapor barrier under 2×4 sleepers and T&G subfloor. This is over a poorly finished concrete slab that has R10 XPS underneath. I will tape perimeter of plastic to 2×6 walls (might use siga’s rissan tape) and then use Prosoco on the exterior side of the wall sealing the bottom of the plywood to CMU blocks.

**Should I add additional insulation between 2×4 flooring joists?

Wall assembly from exterior:
Hardieplank, rain screen [non-PT 3/4″ utility lumber], 2″ Roxul Comfortboard 80, Prosoco Cat 5 (my air barrier with joint and seam for fenestrations), 15/32 CDX plywood, 2×6 stud walls, cavity filled with Roxul R23 Comfortbatt, Drywall, latex paint (my class iii vapor retarder).

Wall to Roof connection:
Tape prosoco covered wall to XPS

Roof assembly: (I have 32′ spanning room-in-attic trusses and I want R49)
Shingle, 30# felt, 19/32 CDX plywood, roof trusses in cavity [1.5″ air space from eave to ridge, unfaced R38 insulation batt to fill cavity, staggered 2.5″ of XPS inside ceiling joists with “Big Gap” spray foamed edges, 3/4 furring strips, drywall, latex paint.

Do you see any causes for concern?
Is there a better way to air seal the roof? Also concerned with wall to roof transition. I really wanted to build Risinger’s “monopoly house” but I’d need to re-engineer the trusses. The trusses also prevent me from adding exterior insulation.

Tried to make this post brief :/

Please let me know if you need any additional info.

Thanks,

Tim

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Replies

  1. Steve Knapp CZ 3A Georgia||#1

    Tim,

    I'll give your post a bump.

    1. Tim C||#3

      Thank you

  2. Expert Member
    Peter Engle||#2

    ** In your climate zone, adding insulation between the 2x4 floor joists is probably unnecessary, but would nearly double the effective floor insulation. And, it won't hurt anything. Pretty cheap upgrade.

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