Existing buildings experiencing enclosure (also known as building envelope) failures will often need an expert in air tightness and water intrusion to guide them through the process of creating a more airtight and watertight building assembly. A-AE completes various air and water barrier consulting and testing services to review causes of building failures. On existing buildings, investigative review of the building is often needed to provide solution strategies to provide a system-wide implementation scope.
By factoring in the way the building was designed, built, and how it performs, A-AE can utilize years of experience utilizing building science to propose solution strategies or recommendations to resolve or avoid common building enclosure failure issues. Installation or deign issues in the building’s air, water, and thermal barrier will often lead to premature building failures from ice damming, mold, bulk water intrusion, and other detriments. Existing buildings with issues relating to mold, condensation, comfort issues, high energy consumption, and indoor air quality issues would benefit from an evaluation by an A-AE expert to ensure that their building does not have a envelope failure. Accurate-Airtight Exteriors can determine the problems and provide solutions to resolve these issues.
Air Barrier Consulting
Air barrier consulting is a specialized building science discipline focused on assessing, designing, and verifying the air tightness of building enclosures. Consultants work to optimize energy efficiency, prevent moisture damage, and ensure compliance with strict commercial energy codes and industry standards. These investigative measures can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs, improve indoor air quality, and protect against costly construction lawsuits. Consultants may simulate high winds using blower doors (link to page) to identify areas where reductions in energy loss due to inconsistent air barriers can be found. With this you now have the roadmap to prevent costly energy waste and ensure you are not wasting money on additional operation costs.
Water barrier consulting
Water barrier consulting is a specialized building science discipline focused on assessing, designing, and verifying the waterproofing and moisture resilience of building enclosures. Our consultants will work to reduce the risks of water damage, manage the building’s water-tightness integrity, and ensure compliance with commercial weatherproofing and industry standards. Consultants may simulate wind-driven rainstorms using industry diagnostic equipment to optimize water defenses. In return you are now equipped with the knowledge to prevent costly water damage and ensuring you are not spending money keeping the water out.
Key Service Offerings
Design & Plan Review: Analyzing architectural blueprints to identify potential thermal bridging, gaps, or material incompatibility in the air and water barrier systems before construction begins.
Quality Assurance & Inspections: Conducting on-site, in-progress inspections to ensure substrate readiness, proper material installation, and flawless sealing around penetrations (windows, doors, vents).
Air and Water Leakage Diagnostic Testing: Performing whole-building depressurization tests (blower door testing) and infrared thermography to quantify air loss and locate hidden defects. Performing enclosure or mock-up water assembly testing to identify potential install failures or design flaws.
Forensic Investigation: Diagnosing the root causes of existing moisture issues, water intrusion, or unexpectedly high utility bills, and prescribing remediation strategies.
Proper air and water barrier consulting protects structural integrity and drives the reduction of significant operating costs. It is a critical component of adhering to energy codes (such as IECC and ASHRAE), which increasingly mandate rigorous whole-building airtightness tests prior to occupancy. Consulting helps general contractors mitigate the risk of costly rework or post-construction failures.
Quality assurance builds the quality into the project at the front end of the project. This ensures a comprehensive approach that by design is suited to control errors. This prevents errors before they are more costly to fix. Quality control builds quality in at the back end of the project, but may not be as effective at ensuring a well-built building.
A-AE holds certifications from the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA).
