What needs to be done to pass a blower door test continues to present challenges for builders. Often, the perplexity of it leads to questions like:

1. What did we miss?
2. Where is the air coming from?
3. Why do we have to do that?

Having performed thousands of blower door tests, one of the key areas where EnergyLogic sees air consistently leaking from the home is at the drywall to top plate connection. This important connection can often be overlooked but has a big impact on the blower door test and is difficult to repair at the time of blower door testing.

Drywall acts as an excellent air barrier but outlets, pipes, and other electrical or low volt fixtures leave holes for air to get into exterior and interior wall cavities and travel up to the attic. Having a sealant where the drywall is directly against the top plate is necessary to prevent air from moving through walls and leaving the home.

Items such as hurricane clips and straps, bows in the lumber, or nail plates can prevent a continuous seal between the top plate and the drywall. Typically, EnergyLogic sees a foam gasket stapled to the top plate which works when installed properly (and not removed by the drywall hanger). But what if there was a better way?

A new Dow^® product, GREAT STUFF PRO™ Gasket presents a better solution than a traditional foam gasket for builders. This product offers many benefits to improve air sealing performance between a home’s framing lumber and drywall. Easily applied with a foam gun this low-VOC product adheres to the lumber, remains flexible over time, and provides a better seal at this critical junction.