How Important Is Housewrap?

If you are plan­ning an exte­rior remod­el­ing project that includes new sid­ing you might be won­der­ing if you need house wrap. The first thing to con­sider is whether your local build­ing codes require house wrap. In many parts of the coun­try it is required. Areas with drier cli­mates are less likely to have house wrap requirements.

The rea­son that house wrap is a good idea, and is often required, is that it pro­tects your home’s struc­ture from excess mois­ture. All exte­rior fin­ishes, such as sid­ing, brick and stone, allow some amount of water to pen­e­trate. House wrap allows this water to sheet off and drain away, pro­tect­ing your home’s fram­ing elements.

Although house wrap sheds liq­uid water on the exte­rior, it does allow water vapor to pass through. This means that humid­ity from inside the home is allowed to escape reduc­ing the chances for mold and mildew buildup.

So the bot­tom line is, whether you are con­sid­er­ing a DIY project or hir­ing a con­trac­tor, prop­erly installed house-wrap is an impor­tant part of the fin­ished job.

A home is among the biggest invest­ments you’ll ever make. So when you choose some­one to build, remodel, install or repair the biggest pro­tec­tion of that investment—the exterior—extreme, expert care is advised.