Clear Moisture Control. Only from CertainTeed.
Moisture is the bane of every builder and a hidden risk in every building. Lurking in the wall cavity, moisture creates ideal conditions for mold, mildew, rot and the respiratory health problems they can cause. Especially in regions with extreme seasonal fluctuations in climate and humidity, there’s no foolproof way to keep moisture from getting into a wall. But now there’s a revolutionary way to help get it out.
MEMBRAIN PROTECTS... AND BREATHES.
MemBrain was designed on an ingenious principle: If you can’t escape the possibility of moisture entering a wall, why not let the moisture in the wall escape? Made from an advanced material that changes its permeability with the ambient humidity condition, MemBrain acts like a traditional vapor retarder to protect wall cavities, but also allows closed building envelope systems to dramatically increase their drying potential with seasonal climatic changes.
HOW DOES IT KNOW?
Designed to be applied over unfaced fiber glass insulation, loose-fill applications and spray foam, MemBrain looks similar to typical polyethylene sheeting, but is actually a polyamide-based material that gives MemBrain its unique ability to adapt its permeability depending on the climatic conditions. With a high resistance to water vapor in winter or low humidity, MemBrain behaves like a moisture vapor retarder such as poly sheeting. When the relative humidity increases, as in the summer season, its water vapor permeability increases dramatically. This allows water vapor to escape the wall cavity easily.
WHY DIDN’T ANYONE THINK OF THIS BEFORE?
Vapor retarders have been used for decades to protect the wooden parts in a roof or wall from moisture damage by minimizing the diffusion of moisture in areas where it can create problems. But these vapor retarders have a fixed permeability that can’t adapt to changing conditions. The patented MemBrain technology was first introduced in Europe over ten years ago and is steadily becoming the preferred vapor retarder among European specifiers.
HOW SMART IS IT?
Using MemBrain will reduce your risk/liability due to moisture problems. Though it is a high-quality, premium product, MemBrain will only add about $300-$500 to the total of a new home*. So using MemBrain costs just a little more, but is always a smart investment.
* Based on an approximate exterior wall space for an average 2,400 sq. ft. home.
This insulation product qualifies for an energy tax credit of up to $1500 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. For more information, visit the CertainTeed
Energy Tax Credit page.
