Quality of housewrap question

[Chris Jargens]

Hi everyone,

I'm building a new property with the intention of house hacking. The house has been framed, windows installed and drywall put up. I've been doing a lot of research into the WRB that has been installed. It is a generic woven perforated product unlike Tyvek homewrap. I can't find much information except for its ICC-ES evaluation sheet.

I asked the builder why he used this instead of Tyvek and it has taken him a week to answer and even then the answers have been vague ("it should behave the same"). I then asked him if he used this product in his last build. No answer. However, I found some information online that states that Tyvek homewrap was used in the last property he build. This is setting off red flags in my head.

I am halting the build until this product is removed and replaced by Tyvek. Do I have a foot to stand on by doing this? What options do I have at this point? I am also concerned about where costs have been cut in other aspects of the building.

Thanks for your advice,

CJ

[Ben Vanek]

In my opinion, the vast majority of woven WRB's should never be used. With that said, most people, GC's and builders included, don't think twice about using them. 

I don't think most people even take the time to educate themselves on the different options available and instead defer to the lumberyard. If the builder doesn't spec a particular product, the lumberyard will select for them. With budget always being a factor, this usually means a woven product is included. 

In order to properly select a WRB, you must look at the entire wall assembly. Perm rating and type of cladding are probably the most important factors. There are many options on the market today, but I'm still a fan of time tested spun-bonded polyolefin, like Dupont Tyvek. 

Ultimately, you are the client so the builder should replace it, but expect to pay for it. If Tyvek wasn't specified initially, this is a Change Order. 

Tough to say if your builder is cutting corners elsewhere. As I said above, it could be ignorance regarding the importance of a quality WRB.