UV damage is a real issue with real consequences, yet it’s an issue that often gets overlooked. Taking on this challenge, Dörken Systems Inc., a manufacturer of high-performance air and moisture barriers, introduces DELTA-STRATUS SA – the only self-adhering vapor-permeable air- and water-resistive barrier with a unique fourth layer for added UV protection.

Exposure to UV light begins to have an impact on building materials from the minute they are installed until the time the building is covered with exterior cladding. The damage happens at the molecular level, so its effects may not be felt until well after the exposure has happened and long after the wall has been completely enclosed.

"Recent research has shown that when WRBs are left exposed for as long as considered allowable by many manufacturers, they can lose as much as 90 percent of their original water penetration resistance," explained Marcus Jablonka, Vice President of Operations & Marketing at Dörken Systems Inc. "This is a significant loss that has an impact not only on the effectiveness of the WRB, but on the performance of the entire wall system as well."

DELTA-STRATUS SA is engineered with two outer layers, made up of high-strength, spun-bonded polypropylene fabric, which are thermally bonded to a highly vapor-permeable, watertight polymeric middle layer. The fourth layer is an innovative UV-resistant acrylic coating that is proven to provide UV protection currently unheard of in the building industry. This level of extreme protection means that DELTA-STRATUS SA will be able to provide the high-performance weather protection builders need to ensure the long-term integrity of their buildings.

"While some builders believe they are already building to a higher standard, they in fact may be unknowingly increasing their risk and liability, and I think the building industry deserves better,” said Jablonka. "Our product engineers have gone further than any other manufacturer out there by commissioning real-world research to uncover the unseen damage of UV and to develop a product that actually stands up to the exposure it promises.”

Architects, owners, and contractors all need to know the facts when choosing a WRB for a project. Visit the DELTA-STRATUS SA product page, and to learn more about the long-term damage of UV exposure on building materials, read the latest DELTA Insights blog.