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Looking for design or pricing assistance? Nichiha representatives are on-hand to answer your questions, ensure your detailing is technically sound and that your project meets all product and design requirements.
The exterior of a building needs a design that’s durable, functional and appealing. When cladding design includes a rainscreen, you can achieve functionality, beauty and a guarantee that as far as moisture goes, your design will last for years.
But not all cladding includes a rainscreen, despite the reality that in today’s climate crisis, more buildings need this upgraded protection. Here’s how a rainscreen system can improve your building’s performance so that it can stand up against harsher weather events.
Not all exteriors today will have a rainscreen, but innovations in cladding and the demand for sustainable, long-lasting construction have made them a must in many climates.
There are a few approaches to rain protection, but “which approach is best for any given project largely depends on the type of materials chosen for the façade,” writes Clayton DeKorne for Continuing Education. For example, many masonry materials are porous and absorb water that will evaporate slowly over time. And while glass and metal will deflect rain, that water often runs into joints and corners.
Whatever method of exterior building protection you use, “some degree of leakage is inevitable, and even the best and most carefully installed cladding systems should have some capacity to manage water that penetrates the exterior skin,” says Clayton. “This critical design decision will also be affected by other factors, not least of which are the project budget and the climate.”
A properly designed and constructed rainscreen system can help building owners avoid the stress of wall assembly failures and other issues that arise from water damage and deteriorating materials.
For budget-friendly rain protection and a system that supports your building design, a rainscreen offers several solutions. Let’s take a look at their biggest benefits.
A rainscreen is part of the building’s exterior cladding: the cladding design allows for space behind the cladding for draining and ventilation. “A vented rainscreen is an increasingly common exterior detail on exterior walls. Instead of attaching siding directly to the sheathing, builders add an air space behind the siding, which helps carry away moisture and prolongs the life of the siding,” writes Scott Gibson for Green Building Advisor.
These vented spaces behind the cladding can help to equalize air pressure in the wall assembly, protecting the building from water intrusion. An air/water barrier in the assembly functions as additional leakage protection for a complete, moisture-resistant system.
Preventing moisture in the building doesn’t just preserve a building’s design, but ensures a healthier indoor environment. The Environmental Protection Agency found in recent studies that a damp building can result in “adverse health effects” for visitors and building occupants, including coughing and other upper respiratory complications. Additionally, “immuno-compromised individuals, such as some categories of hospital patients, are at increased risk for fungal colonization and opportunistic infections,” according to research.
In order to ensure drier, safer indoor environments, building and industry standards have been updated to help guarantee better performing buildings and healthier spaces for people to enjoy.
Looking for design or pricing assistance? Nichiha representatives are on-hand to answer your questions, ensure your detailing is technically sound and that your project meets all product and design requirements.
Help Is On The Way
Building codes today have been updated to include higher standards for moisture protection, and some local codes include requirements for protection against severe weather events like flooding and hurricanes. This doesn’t just protect your building against a wet, harsh climate, but helps to guarantee the durability of the building design in the future.
Manufacturers like Nichiha work to provide builders with cladding that includes a rainscreen and high-quality fiber cement panels for a water- and wind-resistant exterior walls.
When tested against industry standards, Nichiha’s rainscreen assembly provided the required protection from water penetration, making it ideal for buildings in wet climates. In fact, Nichiha’s panels are ideal for use in high-velocity hurricane zones where they’re able to stand up to some of the most severe weather conditions out there.
What’s more, Nichiha’s full menu of exterior cladding products gives designers and building owners options for modern building design and a look that will last for decades.
Architects and building owners want to guarantee the success of their design, and using a rainscreen solution from Nichiha offers a time-tested, cost-effective solution for water protection. Even in harsh, wet climates, Nichiha’s cladding with a built-in rainscreen gives your building the protection it needs and a design you’ll love for years.
Learn more about how our products are tested or look at our gallery for inspiration to see how Nichiha stands up to other exterior cladding options.
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