Comparing air sealing techniques for suite compartmentalization in a multi-unit residential building: Aerosolized sealant vs. conventional air sealing approaches

Abstract

Recently, the use of aerosolized sealant has been proposed as an alternative to conventional (manual) air sealing approaches for suite compartmentalization in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). With this approach, aerosolized sealant is released into a positively pressurized zone; the resulting pressure differential across the zone partition draws the aerosolized product to the leakage paths where the particles accumulate until the leakage path is fully sealed. In theory, aerosolized sealants are more effective than conventional air sealing, as their installation does not require manual identification of leakage pathways. However, prior studies assessing the efficacy of aerosolized sealants have typically not included control groups, making it difficult to quantitatively compare aerosolized sealants against conventional techniques. This paper compares the performance of conventional air sealing approaches against aerosolized sealant (for suite compartmentalization) in a newly constructed MURB, in Toronto, Canada. Compartmentalization was assessed using unguarded, suite-level blower door tests. On average, suites sealed using aerosolized sealant were 27% tighter than those sealed using conventional approaches (q50 = 0.22L/s/m2 of suite surface area (0.04cfm50/ft2) vs. 0.30L/s/m2 (0.06cfm50/ft2), N = 5 suites per test group) – a statistically significant difference (t(8) = -2.01, p = 0.04). Guarded floor-level air leakage testing revealed that aerosolized sealant was most effective for leakage paths on vertical surfaces and had no impact on floor/ceiling airtightness. Apart from quantitative system performance, this paper discusses advantages and disadvantages of aerosolized sealants, based on lessons learned from the case study building. These results can help building designers and contractors weigh the relative benefits of using aerosolized sealants for suite compartmentalization.