Pressure-equalized curtain walls provide the highest level of resistance to air and water infiltration, while water-managed systems come in a close second. Pressure-equalized systems function by blocking all external forces that can drive water across a barrier.
What is a pressure-equalized system?
Page Contents
A pressure-equalized rainscreen system prevents pressure-driven moisture infiltration by naturally regulating the pressure within the wall cavity. This ensures the pressure inside the wall cavity and outside of the wall cavity is equal.
What is a pressure-equalized rainscreen?
A pressure-equalized rainscreen (PER) wall is a multiple-line-of-defence approach to rain penetration control. This Update defines pressure equalization and discusses the various elements that must be incorporated in a PER wall to minimize rain penetration due to air pressure differentials.
What is pressure plate in curtain wall?
Some curtain wall systems utilize “pressure bars” (also referred to as “pressure plates”) that are fastened to the outside of the mullions to retain the glass. These systems frequently include gaskets that are placed between the pressure bar and mullions and function as thermal breaks and help with acoustic isolation.
What is the function of a curtain wall?
The primary purpose of a curtain wall system is to protect the building interior against the exterior natural phenomena such as sun exposure, temperature changes, earthquake, rain, and wind. This protection can be separated into two major categories, namely structural safety and interior environmental control.
What is unitized curtain wall?
Unitized curtain walls are pre-glazed, pre-sealed and pre-assembled in “units”—comprising one lite of glass with surrounding interlocking framing—that are then taken to the field and installed one by one onto the building structure.
How does curtain wall drain?
Weep holes in a water-managed system function largely to drain water that enters the glazing pocket, while weep holes in a pressure-equalized system primarily allow air movement between the exterior and glazing pocket. Weeping of water is only a secondary function.
What is the rainscreen principle?
So, the ‘Rainscreen Principle’ on a façade or cladding system, means that whilst the majority of rain is drained off the surface of the façade, it is designed to permit a small amount of rain or moisture intrusion between the unsealed façade panel joints.
What is a rainscreen façade?
A rainscreen (sometimes referred to as a ‘drained and ventilated’ or ‘pressure-equalised’ façade) is part of a double-wall construction that can be used to form the exterior walls of buildings. Rainscreen cladding systems were first investigated in the 1940s.
What are rain screens?
A rainscreen is an exterior cladding infrastructure that sits away from a building’s outside wall’s weather-resistant barrier, creating an air cavity directly behind the cladding that helps to protect the buildings important weather-resistant barrier.
What are the two types of curtain walls?
Generally speaking, there are two main types of curtain wall systems, unitized curtain wall and stick curtain wall. Though aesthetically similar, the two are manufactured differently, and are better suited to specific types of projects.
Why is it called curtain wall?
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, utilized only to keep the weather out and the occupants in. Since the curtain wall is non-structural, it can be made of lightweight materials, such as glass, thereby potentially reducing construction costs.
What are the elements of a curtain wall?
Curtain walls use three types of rainscreen systems: face-sealed, water managed and pressure-equalized. Pressure-equalized systems usually provide the highest water resistance and air tightness. The inside faces of glass, the glazing pocket and the wet seal are designed as an airtight barrier.
What are the different types of curtain wall systems?
Basically, there are two types of curtain wall systems depending on the method by which the components are assembled.
Stick Curtain Wall System.
Unitized Curtain Wall System.
What is the difference between window wall and curtain wall?
Simply put, the main difference between the systems is that the window wall structurally sits between the suspended reinforced concrete slabs while the curtain wall is hung off the slab edges by anchors.
What is the difference between structural glazing and curtain wall?
Structural Glazing is your answer, systems that W&W Glass specialize in! Structural glazing systems, in their simplest form, are types of curtain wall systems consisting of glass that is bonded or anchored back to a structure without the use of continuously gasketed aluminum pressure plates or caps.
Why is structural glazing used?
Building envelope / façades finished with glass such as windows or glass used extensively to wrap up the building perimeter is called structural glazing. The function of the glazing is to provide safety and weather projection of the occupants.
What is Spider glazing?
SPIDERGLASS is a modern solution for exterior bolted glass assemblies, which secures the glazing to a support structure by means of point-fixings. SPIDERGLASS is a modern solution for exterior bolted glass assemblies, which secures the glazing to a support structure by means of point-fixings.
What is glazing work?
Glazing, which derives from the Middle English for ‘glass’, is a part of a wall or window, made of glass. Glazing also describes the work done by a professional “glazier”. Glazing is also less commonly used to describe the insertion of ophthalmic lenses into an eyeglass frame.
Why is glazing necessary?
Having strong, durable and high quality glazing offers many benefits to commercial properties as well as homes. New window glazing is more energy efficient, saving you money on heating bills. Good quality windows will also make it easier to regulate the overall temperature of your building.
What is the difference between window and glazing?
As nouns the difference between window and glazing
is that window is an opening, usually covered by one or more panes of clear glass, to allow light and air from outside to enter a building or vehicle while glazing is the part of a window or wall made of glass or another transparent material.
What is glazing and its types?
The term ‘glazing’ refers to the glass component of building’s façade or internal surfaces. Historically, the installation of glazing was generally undertaken by a specialist glazier, but today it is possible to purchase an entire window which can be fitted by a general contractor.
What is the material used for glazing?
Optical properties of commonly used glazing materials.
Glazing material is a simplification of the Transparent material aimed at facilitating rendering of large glass surfaces that are typical of architectural projects.
What are the main types of glazing?
There are many different types of glass products to choose from.
Single glazing. Single glazing uses a single pane of glass. …
Double or triple glazing. …
Low emissivity glass. …
Toned glass. …
Laminated glass. …
Toughened glass. …
Secondary glazing. …
Aluminium.
What is projection factor?
The projection factor is the ratio of the distance the overhang projects from the window surface to its height above the sill of the window it shades.
What is a window U value?
A window’s U-Value, also described as U-Factor, measures the rate the window transfers non-solar heat. In short, it provides a measurable indication of the quality of insulation the window provides. The window U-rating is reflected as a number between 0.20 and 1.20.
