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Asked by: Bernadi Jarrige
home and garden indoor environmental qualityHow long does Tyvek last uncovered?
Then, does Tyvek deteriorate?
Whether it's 30 year old Tyvek or 30 year old felt/tar paper, these materials don't last a lifetime and fail well before most people thought they would. The problem with Tyvek failing or tar paper failing behind a wall assembly is that it will then allows moisture get to the OSB sheathing and begin to rot that.
Similarly, does Tyvek stop wind?
No; however, properly installed Tyvek® weather barriers help protect against loss of R-value in insulation due to wind washing. Even at wind speeds of 5 mph, a wall without an air barrier retains less than 40% of its original installed R-values.
When used as the outermost layer in a two-layer system with Tyvek® wrap as the innermost layer, the properties of the black paper may prove beneficial, especially when the cladding is an exterior cement plaster or adhered-masonry veneer.