Masonry Magazine October 2006 Page. 34
DRAINAGE
The Role of the Cavity Space in Masonry Construction
By Jim Keene, President
Keene Building Products
MOISTURE IS COMMONLY KNOWN TO CAUSE PROBLEMS IN ROOFING AND FOUNDATIONS, BUT IT CAN ALSO PRESENT MAJOR PROBLEMS IN MASONRY WALLS. Moisture intrusion occurs in walls as much as other places, and stopping the liquid water and managing it are important above-grade just as in a below-grade application, only with vapor drive playing an essential role too.
Now there are some very complicated debates in wall design. Some of them are extremely sophisticated, such as the selection of whether to use an air barrier, a vapor barrier or a weather barrier in the wall. Even more important is how these products will be selected and placed in the wall. Our expertise is at a more simple function - we make materials that relieve hydrostatic pressure above and below-grade. We just want to make sure that everyone recognizes that the masonry cavity is an important part of the wall and that it drains properly. There are a variety of different ways to achieve this.
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Masonry
October 2006
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