Meeting ENERGY STAR’s Water Management Checklist

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On Monday, I wrote about the new Concept Home Program offered through ENERGY STAR for Homes. I learned about it at the 2011 RESNET Building Performance Conference last week.

On Monday, I wrote about the new Concept Home Program offered through ENERGY STAR for Homes. I learned about it at the 2011 RESNET Building Performance Conference last week.

Another session I attended talked about one of the 4 new checklists from the ENERGY STAR Version 3 Guidelines. One of the biggest changes in the new Version 3 is the addition of three checklists, for a total of four: Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist, HVAC Quality System Rater Checklist, HVAC Quality System Contractor Checklist, and Water Management System Builder Checklist. This session was about last of the four: Water Management System Contractor Checklist. Steve Easley, from Steve Easley & Associates, presented this session.

Some key takeaways

  • The 4 D’s to Moisture Management: Deflection, Drainage, Drying, and Durable Components
  • Building a dry home starts with building a dry foundation
  • Walls that work are walls that shed water.
  • Never tuck your raincoat into your underwear.

Get it right, or else…

water-management-checklist-fungus-in-wallAlthough the presentation focused on the foundation and exterior walls, there were many great examples of what happens when water management measures aren’t done properly throughout the building envelope. Most of the failures shown were in the water resistive barrier, flashing and sealing around windows and penetrations, and the capillary break in foundations (beneath slabs and walls).

One of the most critical, and easy to get wrong areas in the building envelope, is the installation of the water resistant barrier and flashing around penetrations, such as windows. Here is a short video from Steve Easley on the proper way to deal with Flashing and Runoff Controls.

The checklist is built around these key concepts:

  • Ensure that water drains away from the building;
  • Prevent moisture from penetrating the building envelope through foundations, exterior walls and roofs; and
  • Install moisture managing materials in the right location.

Something to note

This checklist is the responsibility of the builder to complete, but the rater has a responsibility to ensure that the checklist is completed.

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