1. Insulation and Infiltration

2. Building Shell
Air Barrier

3. Air Sealing
All homes must pass a blower door test with a result between 0.50 ACHn and 0.25 ACHn 3

4. Good Building Envelope
Create an airtight shell using wall sheathing and ceiling drywall.
Fill cavities completely with insulation.
Encapsulate insulation on all sides.
Use required Energy Code R-values. 4
Correct 4

8. Attic Kneewalls

9. Air Sealing
Incorrect
Bottom plate must be sealed to poured wall, slab, or subfloor. 9
Correct

10. Air Sealing
Soffits must be sealed at cantilevered floors. 10

11. Air Sealing Exhaust fan penetrations must be sealed at the band joist.
Correct 11

12. Air Sealing Joist cavities under attic kneewalls must be blocked.12
Correct

13. Air Sealing Penetrations through insulated floors must be sealed.13
Correct

14. Air Sealing
HVAC boots in insulated floors must be sealed to the subfloor. 14
Correct

15. Air Sealing Top and bottom plate penetrations must be sealed. Correct15
Correct

16. Air Sealing
Exterior doors must have weatherstripping, thresholds, and doorknobs prior to final inspection in order to pass (including basement doors if they penetrate the building envelope). 16
Correct

17. Air Sealing Gaps between pieces of exterior sheathing must be sealed.
Incorrect
Correct 17

18. Air Sealing Penetrations in exterior wall sheathing must be sealed.
Correct
Correct 18

19. Air Sealing
Exterior walls of fireplace chase must be sealed (including combustion air inlet).
Incorrect 19

20. Air Sealing
Shower and tub drains must be sealed (rock wool/fiberglass not acceptable).
Incorrect
Correct 20

21. Air Sealing
Solid sheet must be installed behind tubs and showers on insulated walls. 21
Correct

22. Air Sealing
Window and door rough openings must be sealed (not chinked with insulation). 22
Correct

23. Air Sealing
Stud cavities at changes in ceiling height must be blocked. 23
Correct

24. Air Sealing
Attic kneewall doors must seal tight- this requires weatherstripping and a latch. 24
Correct

25. Air Sealing
Stud cavities blocked from attic – including attic kneewalls 25
Correct

26. Air Sealing
Attic kneewalls must be sheathed (and R-19 minimum insulation value). 26
Correct

27. Air Sealing
Chase caps and penetrations through chase caps must be sealed 27
Correct

28. Air Sealing
Chases must be capped.
Correct
Incorrect 28

29. Air Sealing
Recessed can lights in insulated ceilings must be air tight.
Correct 29

30. Air Sealing
Ceiling mounted electrical fixtures, including lights, ceiling fans, and speakers in insulated ceilings must be sealed to drywall.
Incorrect 30

31. Air Sealing
HVAC boots in insulated ceilings must be sealed to drywall. 31
Correct

32. Air Sealing
Attic scuttle holes must seal tight- this requires weatherstripping 32
Incorrect

33. Air Sealing
Attic pulldown stairs located in conditioned space must seal tight.
Correct
Correct 33

34. Insulation
Basement foundation walls must be insulated to a minimum of R-5 if they are part of the building envelope.
To be considered a basement wall, the average gross wall area (including openings) must be at least 50% below grade.
Each wall must be considered separately. 34 34

35. Insulation
Concrete foundation walls may not be insulated with kraft-paper faced fiberglass batts.
Unfaced batts, blown in fiberglass, or perforated vinyl encapsulated batts are permitted.
Note: Floors over an unconditioned basement can be insulated instead of foundation walls. When intending for the basement to be conditioned, you must plan for this in the load calculation or the equipment will be too small. 35

36. Insulation
Insulation must be installed against a solid air barrier (OSB, drywall, concrete, or solid sheet good).
Incorrect 36

37. Insulation
Wall insulation must fill cavities completely. 37
Correct

38. Insulation Attic kneewalls must be a minimum R-19 insulation value38
Correct

39. Insulation
All areas of the attic must have vent openings. Bonus rooms over the garage must be vented, in addition to the attic. 39
Correct

40. Insulation
Blown attic insulation may not block soffit vents - baffles must be used
Incorrect 40
Correct

41. Insulation
Blown attic insulation must have rulers and an attic card in each accessible attic space 41
Correct

42. Moisture and Indoor Air Quality
No polyethylene is allowed in above or below grade wall assemblies (except behind tubs and showers in bathrooms) 42

43. Moisture and Indoor Air Quality
All fireplaces and other combustion equipment must be equipped with a flue and outside combustion air supply.
No ventless fireplaces are allowed. 43
Correct

44. Insulation
Limit the number of 4x8 sheets of subfloor installed in the attic. (If more than two sheets of subfloor is desired, it is recommended they be raised up to provide for the full attic height of insulation underneath.) 44

45. Building Shell
Air Barrier

46. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
As the air inside the envelope is heated, it begins to rise.

47. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
The Air will escape through any available hole.

48. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
COMMON HOLES
Bathroom Fans and Wiring/Plumbing penetrations

49. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
As air leaves the envelope, it creates a
Negative (pulling) pressure.

50. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
Outside air is drawn into the home to replace the escaping warm air.

51. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
The cold outside air is then heated. As the air is heated it rises.

52. Air That Has Been Heated, Rises.
The cycle is repeated.