Issue link: https://hi.iaq.net/i/248503
www.epa.gov/iaq/moisture Appendix A – The "Pen Test" • An air gap between the drip edge and the brick veneer forms a capillary break protecting the materials beneath the metal coping from rainwater wicking from below. PURPOSE By tracing the continuity of all the materials for each control function, the "pen test" checks the completeness of: • An air gap and water-resistant barrier behind the brick veneer form a capillary break between the damp brick and the inner walls. • Rainwater protection. • The insulation layer. • The water-resistant barrier shingles over a head flashing, protecting the window from rainwater with a drip edge and air gap. • The air barrier. To verify continuity, create sections in which each of these moisture-control elements is traced in a different color to show that the design specifically accounts for them. Contractors can then easily check the sections against their experience with materials, trades and sequencing. The sections will also provide maintenance workers in buildings and grounds with information useful in ordinary maintenance work or in the event of a problem during building use. • The window frame, sash and glazing form a capillary break system that sits in a pan sill flashing at the bottom of the rough opening. • The pan sill flashing forms a capillary break protecting the wall beneath from seepage through the window system. • The pan sill flashing shingles over the waterresistant barrier in the wall beneath. • The water-resistant barrier shingles over a flashing that protects the bottom of the wall system where: PROCESS Rainwater Protection Continuity yy The foam sill seal makes a capillary break between the foundation and the bottom of the framed wall, connecting with: To demonstrate complete rainwater protection using the section drawing, place a pen on a material that forms a capillary break between the rain-control materials that get wet and the inner portion of the enclosure that must stay dry. Without lifting the pen off the paper, trace from the center of the roof around the walls, windows, and doors and along the foundation to the center of the foundation floor. yy One inch of extruded styrene foam insulation making a capillary break between the top of the foundation wall and the edge of the floor slab. yy Polyethylene film immediately beneath the slab forms a capillary break between the bottom of the slab and the fill below. NOTE: If the bed of fill beneath the slab consists of pebbles greater than ¼ inch in diameter and contains no fines, then it forms a capillary break between the soil and the slab. Figure A-1 serves as documentation of rainwater protection continuity. The following describes the traceable capillary break in a sample section. Starting at the center of the roof: • The roofing membrane separates wet materials from the inner dry materials. Apply the same procedure to the insulation layer (Figure A-2) and the air barrier (Figure A-3). • Tracing to the edge of the roof, the roofing membrane flashes beneath a metal coping, this in turn flashes to a metal fascia. • The fascia forms a drip edge, channeling water away from the cladding. A-1