Given
their name, it’s completely reasonable to assume that rainscreens are a
key part of waterproofing buildings. Truth is, rainscreens do play a
crucial role in waterproofing buildings by employing a multi-layered
approach to managing moisture intrusion. But they don’t do it all. Let’s
take a closer look at the role rainscreens play.
First, it is
important to understand what the definition of a rainscreen system is.
As defined by the Rainscreen Association in North America and adopted by
the most recent International Building Code, a rainscreen is an
assembly applied to an exterior wall which consists of, at minimum, an
outer layer, an inner layer, and a cavity between them sufficient for
the passive removal of liquid water and water vapor. Let’s break this
down: