Airtight Membranes

Air and Vapour Control Layers

It is now widely accepted that airtightness and moisture control are two of the most important parts of building design. The integrated range of vapour control layers manufactured by Partel are designed as air barrier systems. These high-performance airtight membranes are suitable for use both on-site and also in offsite construction methods.

Where are vapour control layers installed?

Typically installed on the inner side of the insulation within external wall and roof structures these airtight membranes have a dual purpose; restricting the flow of moisture from inside a building into the fabric, as well as creating an airtight layer on the internal envelope of a building.

Why is restricting the flow of moisture important?

Moisture is generated inside homes by people, through breathing, cooking and washing. If this warm moisture vapour passes into the building fabric and cools down within the structure, interstitial condensation occurs. This can cause a number of problems; mould, structural damage and reduced thermal performance.

What is airtightness and why is it so important?

Airtightness or airtight construction ensures that there are no unintended gaps in the building envelope that allow air to leak in or out of the building. Air leakage reduces the energy efficiency of a building and can create a draughty, unhealthy, uncomfortable building environment.

At Partel, we embrace innovation and focus on developing new products to meet and exceed the requirements of ever changing building regulations, as well as utilising new technologies. For instance two of our most recently developed innovative airtight membranes are:

IZOPERM PLUS FR, is a fire rated non-combustible AVCL membrane. This system enhances the building fabric in terms of airtightness, energy efficiency and moisture management, providing exceptional fire safety to the building and its occupants. With Fire Classification A2, it is ideally suited for applications where high levels of fire performance are desirable or mandatory, such as; high-rise projects, public buildings, hospitals, hotels, and universities.

VARA PLUS, a smart membrane with advanced Hygrovariable technology. This system is designed to intelligently control moisture vapour, with a variable SD-Value ranging from 0.4m to 60m; allowing incredible summer drying conditions but equally protecting the construction in winter.

Our experienced technical team are always on hand to advise which of our airtight membranes would be most suitable for your project requirements.