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Moisture vapor, which travels in the air, can enter the home through external air leakage and everyday indoor activities. In fact, an average family of four can create two to three gallons of water vapor per day from cooking, bathing, washing dishes and laundry. When moisture vapor penetrates the wall cavity, it can condense on cold surfaces and accumulate in the building envelope.
Click each box below
ROT
When you manage moisture, you reduce the potential for mold and mildew growth.
MOLD: Moisture buildup can cause health issues through mold growth that
releases potentially harmful spores into the air.
ROT: Persistent moisture
can eventually cause expensive structural damage.
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MANAGE MOISTURE
IN THE CAVITY
The MoistureSense™ Technology Video
CertainTeed’s SMARTBATT™ and MemBrain™ with MoistureSense™ technology help prevent moisture build-up and are engineered to help wall cavities dry out.
Unlike traditional polyethylene vapor retarders, they block moisture in the winter when humidity in the cavity is low and increase permeability during the summer when humidity is high to let moisture escape while still maintaining air tightness.
MOLD
BREATHES: Increases permeability in summer to let moisture escape when needed.
The only solution
that adapts to both
Block & Breathe.
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Crawlspaces
Basements
Bathrooms
Laundry Rooms
Kitchens
Exterior Walls
Any place you would use
traditional kraft insulation
> Insulation Calculator
Use SMARTBATT™ for insulation
in climate zones 3–7. It is ideal
for areas where you cool your home in
the summer and heat it in the winter.*
It’s critical to determine the
recommended R-Value for your
region. However, upgrading beyond
these minimums creates a more
comfortable and energy efficient home.
New SMARTBATT™ Insulation with MoistureSense™ Technology features an
integrated smart vapor retarder that blocks moisture in wall cavities when humidity
is low and provides enhanced drying, allowing moisture to escape when humidity
is high. SMARTBATT can help reduce the risk of mold and mildew within the wall
cavity, contributing to healthier homes and happier occupants.
So bring on the moisture. SMARTBATT has it covered.
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**Not all climate zones require vapor retarders. To determine whether they’re recommended for your region, use our online insulation calculator at www.certainteed.com/iTools
Zone 1 Includes: Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
All of Alaska in Zone 7 except for the following Boroughs in Zone 8:
Bethel, Dellingham, Fairbanks North Star, Nome, North Slope,
Northwest Arctic, Southeast Fairbanks, Wade Hampton, Yukon-Koyukuk
BLOCKS: Remains moisture
tight in winter when humidity in the cavity is low.
EXCEPTIONAL MOISTURE
MANAGEMENT
Greater performance and permeance
rating compared to traditional kraft insulation
Traditional kraft facing has limited permeance on average of 0.1 – 1.0, while SMARTBATT can adapt from almost completely closed to fully open based on humidity levels in the cavity
Greater drying capability helps reduce potential mold/mildew growth
SMARTBATT’s performance was previously only available in a two-step installation rolled sheet product
When paired with a caulk and seal package, offers superior, cost-effective air tightness and moisture management system
Moisture in a home is unavoidable.
But now there’s a revolutionary way to manage it.
EXCEPTIONAL MOISTURE
MANAGEMENT
BLOCKS: Remains moisture tight in winter when humidity in the cavity is low.
Air constantly moves from high to low pressure, finding every penetration into and out of a home, which is why proper air sealing is crucial to create a continuous seal at all joints and penetrations. MemBrain provides continuous air barrier protection. It revolutionizes air and moisture management and meets the most forward-looking IECC codes for air barrier protection.
Zone 1 Includes: Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
All of Alaska in Zone 7 except for the following Boroughs in Zone 8:
Bethel, Dellingham, Fairbanks North Star, Nome, North Slope,
Northwest Arctic, Southeast Fairbanks, Wade Hampton, Yukon-Koyukuk
**Not all climate zones require vapor retarders. To determine whether they’re recommended for your region, use our online insulation calculator at www.certainteed.com/iTools
Managing moisture can be difficult in modern construction. Build confidence into your designs with MemBrain™, CertainTeed’s patented solution that delivers superior moisture management and air barrier protection in one product.
Smarter than poly, MemBrain intelligently adapts its permeability based on the humidity level to help keep wall cavities dry, so you can create energy-efficient, healthier and smarter buildings.
Dynamic performance and permeance rating compared to traditional kraft insulation or polyethylene sheeting
MemBrain can adapt from fully closed to open
(<1 to 35 perms) to provide greater drying capability
Senses and adapts permeance to varying humidity throughout the year to keep the cavity dry
Prevents moisture vapor from entering the wall cavity in the winter, and allows any moisture buildup to escape the cavity in the summer
When installed with standard tape and seal practices, creates an air barrier that has been tested under stringent performance guidelines
Air tightness affects the entire building envelope and plays a major role in successfully managing heat, moisture and sound.
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> Insulation Calculator
Ceilings
Crawlspaces
Basements
Bathrooms
Laundry Rooms
Kitchens
Exterior Walls
Once airtight, homes face greater moisture challenges. MemBrain’s patented smart vapor retarder technology helps avoid these problems with the superior moisture management needed in an airtight envelope.
BREATHES: Increases permeability in summer
to let moisture escape
when needed.
EXCEPTIONAL
AIR TIGHTNESS
Vapor retarders are required by code in zones 4C and above. However, MemBrain is ideal for any area where the home cools in the summer and heats in the winter.**
It’s critical to determine the
recommended R-Value for your
region. However, upgrading beyond
these minimums creates a more
comfortable and energy efficient home.
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Create an Energy-Efficient Home
that is Smarter and Healthier.
Air tightness is rapidly becoming central to new building codes. It affects all aspects of building envelope performance.
Indoor air quality, energy efficiency, acoustics, comfort and managing moisture within the wall cavity can all be seriously compromised if a house is not airtight.
