What Are Air Barriers?
The term “air barriers” refers to a variety of different materials, but their general purpose is largely similar. Overall, air barriers are systems of sealing that help control airflow throughout a home’s building envelope. More specifically, air barriers are often used to control airflow between an air-conditioned space and a non-air conditioned space. In essence, their job is to make sure the building envelope functions as intended from room to room, maintaining internal conditions as consistently as possible.
Every building has a building envelope, but not all building envelopes perform or are designed equally. Air barriers are implemented as a supplementary sealing enhancer; providing extra support where the building needs it most.
Since air barriers help control airflow, they also contribute to the stopping the prevalence of moisture, pollutants, and allergens in a building’s air. Just as good ventilation helps a building retain healthy interior air, air barriers ensure the stability of the rooms that healthy air enters. When a building’s rooms have consistent, reliable expectations for air retention, homeowners and professionals can better regulate the internal environment through the additional HVAC systems in the home.