By maintaining a space between a building’s cladding and exterior wall, rainscreen systems help protect the enclosure against the ravages of rain and moisture infiltration. While the visible aesthetics of a building’s cladding often receive all of the attention, a rainscreen’s performance is contingent upon a system of components working behind the scenes to protect against a common enemy—moisture. An important element of a rainscreen system is continuous insulation installed behind the cladding and in front of the actual water barrier. In addition to helping manage moisture, the continuous insulation in a rainscreen system also delivers other performance benefits including supporting energy efficiency, sustainability goals and more.
Contractors have many choices when it comes to the type of continuous insulation used in rainscreen systems. Among this array of options, mineral wool offers a number of benefits. Often favored for its non-combustible properties in perimeter fire containment systems, when used as a continuous insulation in rainscreen systems, mineral wool delivers several benefits that contribute to the system’s goals. These attributes include: