If you are adding metal siding to your house, then you need to make sure that you use a house wrap. This guide explains why this is necessary and the right steps to take.
Over the last three decades, house wrap has been used across millions of buildings. House wrap is beneficial because it helps ensure that wooden buildings can be protected from significant issues including water, moisture, and even air infiltration. Essentially, this can be one of the best defenses for your home against weather woes.
A house wrap can be added underneath the building’s siding as well as across the sheathing or the wall girts. As the name suggests, it will literally be wrapped around the building and cut out so that it doesn’t cover doors and windows.
Do You Need House Wrap For Metal Siding?
If you have a property with metal siding, then you do need to ensure that you have a house wrap in place. It will ensure that your home is effectively protected from the accumulation of water caused by either moisture or potential water infiltration.
What Are The Other Benefits Of Using A Wrap?
Aside from protecting your home from weather damage, there are certainly other benefits of using a house wrap. For instance, you can use a wrap to increase the efficiency level of your home. This is going to do wonders for your energy bills.
The department of energy has suggested that 40% of a building’s energy is lost due to levels of air infiltration including wind-driven pressures that are sourced from the outside. When air enters the building it also causes changes in temperature and this means that air conditioners need to operate at a higher level to provide the same level of air. So, by using a wrap you can ensure that a home is more comfortable without pushing the cost of energy through the roof. A house wrap will also help preserve the overall R-value of a building when used behind the metal siding.
What Should A House Wrap Not Be Used for?
It is important to understand that a house wrap is not a vapor barrier and treating it as such can lead to issues. While a house wrap is quite permeable, warm moist air will still pass through the steel leading to condensation. So, this is just one line of defense your home should have.
You might be concerned that a house wrap will melt when used under a metal siding if it is exposed to hot temperatures. However, this won’t be the case as long as you ensure that you do use the right siding product for your property. A contractor can help ensure that you make the best decision here.
We hope this helps you understand why you should use a house wrap behind the metal siding. It can ensure that your home isn’t damaged when there are poor weather conditions. You just need to make sure that you are exploring the different products on the market and finding the one that will provide the absolute best solution available.