CoatingsPro Magazine

SEP 2016

CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.

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COATINGSPRO SEPTEMBER 2016 69 of the SA transition membrane appeared to be in good condition at the project start. e membrane instal- lation seemed to be free of visible deficiencies with the exception of random wrinkles and fish mouth voids. According to the installer, the FA air barrier began to peel from the CMU and GWS substrates within 24 hours. e condition was occurring at outside corners of the building, around window rough openings, and over steel angles at changes in wall plane. On top of that, only three days after installation of the FA air barrier, a heav y rain event occurred and large amounts of the FA air barrier started to run down the wall. Additionally, due to application over damp substrates, the FA membrane experienced complete failure as the membrane could be peeled from the substrate with little to no resistance. W hen it comes to fluid-applied materi- als, peeling and dripping are not good. After some investigation, it turned out that the air barrier was not compat- ible with the substrate primer applied beneath the SA transition membrane. Unfortunately, there was no compati- bility confirmation during the product submittal process prior to construction. e installer was completely unaware of this compatibility issue. As for the dripping air barrier, that was a result of the material having to battle the elements. at presented problems during application. First of all, after consulting, it was noted that there were high humidity levels prior to the FA membrane's application. is means that the FA material did not have a chance to fully cure by the time the rain came in. e rain, therefore, just washed away any material that wasn't cured. To remedy the situation, the contractor had to come back to the site for additional work. After drying, he removed the delaminated air barrier from the substrate and reapplied. Because of this additional work, the project completion ended up being delayed. e removal process was time consuming, and it caused delays for the other trades. Lessons Learned e installation of air barriers, especially FA air barriers, are dependent on proper sequencing of construction as well as protection. Without a roof in place, the air barrier is subject to damages from moisture infiltration. One way to prevent these failures is for the general contractors to hold pre-construction meetings with their subcontractors, manufacturers, designers, and the exterior building enclosure consultant. Material selection and the submittal review process also have large roles in the final outcome of air barrier installation. e products need to be reviewed and tested for poten- tial compatibility issues with other materials with which they will come in contact. Add itiona l ly, it is impor tant that insta l lers and contractors monitor weather cond itions before apply ing FA air bar r iers. On many occasions, we have encountered insta l lations that "washed- out" because of rain. W hi le projects are schedu le-dr iven and genera l contractors are under pressure to tur n the project over to the faci lit y ow ner, insta l ling air bar r iers dur ing or pr ior to less-than-favorable env ironmenta l cond itions, prove cost ly in ter ms of unex pected problems and constr uc- tion delays because the work needs to be done more than once. Installer and contractor train- ing, as well as workmanship, play the largest role in the final outcome of an air-barrier installation project. A well-trained, knowledgeable contrac- tor will know when an air barrier can or cannot be installed and over what material an air barrier can or cannot be installed. Team Work In general, working w ith FA air barriers can be beneficial for various reasons. Without a proper design, plan, and installation, though, these coatings can be rendered useless. If the team can work together, the coating can do its job. CP Brian H. Neely, A I A , CDT, BEC x PSM , is a senior project manager for Ga le A ssociates, Inc.'s Bu i ld ing Enc losure Desig n and Consu lt ing (BEDC) Group. He per for ms bu i ld ing enc losure eva luat ions and desig ns focused on bu i ld ing repa irs, restorat ion, and energ y conser vat ion. Robert F. Mimmo is a senior f ield technician for Ga le A ssociate's BEDC Group. He has per for med more t han 200 a ir bar r ier aud its for t he A ir Bar r ier A ssociat ion of A mer ica. For more infor mat ion, contact: Ga le A ssociates, Inc., (800) 659-4753, w w w.ga leassociates.com Self-adhered (SA) membranes were required at transition points, and a primer was required for the SA membranes. It was found that the primer was not compatible with the FA barrier. Peeling Air Barrier

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