Air leakage tests on polyethylene membrane installed in a wood frame wall.

This report presents the results of air leakage tests on polyethylene membranes installed in a frame wall. The results would be useful in evaluating the methods commonly used for installing such a component. They can besummarized as follows: 1, a 6 mil polyethylene membrane was stiffer than a 4 mil membrane and had a greater air leakage rate through the joint, 2, the best method for installing a wall joint was to have the two sheets of polyethylene overlapped by about 400 mm, with the edges stapled to two vertical studs, 3, the spline system was too difficult to apply, especially at the corners, 4, taping and caulking the joint did not produce an air-tight joint, and 5, a new technique is needed to fasten the edges of the polyethylene sheet to the window frame and hold the edges in place.