High-performance builders have been adding exterior insulation layers to their wall assemblies for decades to reduce thermal bridging and increase the R-value of exterior walls. This continuous insulation layer is usually installed over the sheathing. This adds time and complexity to a building. You can also install rigid insulation over plywood or OSB sheathing. However, this will create structural problems by installing trim and siding on top of foam. Without the solid sheathing’s racking- or uplift-resistance, homes will lose strength.
NovaCore Thermal Insulated sheathing by LP solves these problems. It combines continuous insulation with sheathing for a simpler installation that has no structural weaknesses. The panels are insulated with a layer of OSB insulation that is 7/16 inches thick and a layer of XPS insulation that is 1 inch thick. Similar to Huber’s Insulating Zip R-Sheathing which has a thickness of 1 in. 2 1/2 in. Polyisocyanurate insulation with a built-in water resistance barrier (WRB). NovaCore claims that the XPS layer in NovaCore is more resilient than a standard polyiso (which loses some R-value in extreme temperatures, a phenomenon called “thermal drift” in building scientists). NovaCore does not have a built in WRB so another water-shedding layer will be required.
These panels can be mounted horizontally or vertically using 3-in. screws. by 0.131-in. wide, full-round-head framing nail. According to the manufacturer, the panel will be made available in lengths of 8-ft., 9ft., and 10ft. by late 2022. Pricing information is still unknown at the time of this writing.
Did you miss our previous article…
https://tophouseimprovement.com/tools/schneider-electric-recalls-line-of-electrical-panels/