Tapes and Sealants

To achieve stringent levels of airtightness the airtight barrier must be sealed using pro clima tapes and sealants.

To achieve a durable airtight seal for the lifetime of the building it is critical that any glue or tape should form a reliable adherence to each surface to which it has been sealed, and maintain a high flexibility and not harden or become brittle to ensure it copes with differential movement. It should also resist high temperatures and low temperatures both during application and over the lifetime of the building.

The glue used within the pro clima tapes is only based on solid acrylic, a technology patented by the pro clima. The solid acrylic glues may be more durable and robust compared to conventional resin glues and acrylic glue which is based on a water solution.

High humidity on site is a key consideration in Ireland and the UK, and it is very important that the glues can perform under these conditions: solid acrylic glues have a higher resistance to moisture on site and may be applied even in humid conditions and offer excellent adhesion even in moist conditions. Solid acrylic glues can even maintain a reliable seal under water, 24 hours after being initially applied.

As damp as a building site may be in Germany, we certainly are exposed to much higher levels of humidity and dampness on sites in Ireland and the UK where atmospheric humidity can be easily over 90% in winter months. When you consider additional moisture on a building site during construction due to screeds and plaster drying, moisture resistance is a key consideration.

pro clima’s tapes and sealants have been used in buildings that have achieved a Q50 as low as 0.19, three times that of PassivHaus standard and they have been used on many PassivHaus and low energy buildings throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Of course the quality and durability of the seal is very much reliant on the quality of the initial installation. To ensure materials are installed correctly a quality assessment of the airtightness layer may be conducted with a blower door the WINCON airtightness quality control unit. These intermediate tests will help on site personnel to realise the benefits of applying the materials and sealing them correctly for an energy efficient house.

All pro clima’s products have been certified by The Sentinel Haus Institute to meet their stringent standards for healthy buildings with good indoor air quality. See the Sentinel Haus website for more information