Cor-A-Vent Product Guide

First things First – Q & A Q: What is a “rainscreen”? A: A rainscreen is a wall drainage and ventilation system that creates a space between the exterior cladding and your home’s moisture barrier. Q: Why do I need a rainscreen? A: To prevent moisture from becoming trapped between your siding and wall sheathing. Over time, trapped water can cause your moisture barrier to fail and ruin your siding. Q: Is a rainscreen required by building code? A: In some areas of the United States, like Oregon, and in Canada, a rainscreen is required, while it will likely be required soon in other coastal areas. You can refer to the International Residential Code (IRC) section R703.1 for more information about this requirement. Q: How do I incorporate a rainscreen into my walls? A: With Cor-A-Vent’s Siding Vent System – the first commercial rainscreen product on the market. The first part of the system is the heavy-duty Sturdi-Strip furring strips, which hold the siding away from the wall, creating the necessary capillary break ( 3 / 8 ” or 10mm) that will allow moisture to drain out instead of becoming trapped. Our Siding Vent products – either the 7 / 16 ” thick SV-3 , or the 3 / 4 ” thick SV-5 – at the top and bottom of the walls will let that moisture drain out and allow fresh air to pass through, keeping the system dry, all while keeping insects out. (see detail on pages 3,4 & 8) Q: How do I know if I need the SV-3 or the SV-5? A: That will be determined by your choice of furring strips. If you go with Sturdi-Strips or another nominal ½” thick furring, you would use the SV-3. If you go with pressure-treated ¾” thick wood furring strips, or a double layer of Sturdi-Strips to achieve ¾” thickness, you would need the SV-5. Q: Why should I use the Siding Vent System instead of another rainscreen product? A: The Siding Vent System was designed to last (see testing data on page 9) and will not crush or compress like competing “drainage mat” rainscreen products. This is why James Hardie does not recommend using a drainage mat, but will recom- mend Cor-A-Vent’s Siding Vent System for use with their siding products (http://www.jameshardie.com/d2w/best-practices/ appendix-glossary-esr-hz5-us-en.pdf) . Q: Does this system work with vertical siding or cedar shakes? A: Yes to both – using the new Sturdi-Battens , a 7 / 16 ” thick drainable batten strip. In vertical siding applications, Sturdi-Battens install every 16” o.c. to 24” o.c. based on the spacing recom- mended by the siding manufacturer (see detail drawings on pages 6 & 7). Spacing for cedar shakes and shingles will depend on those products’ specific exposure (see page 7). Install the 7 / 16 ” thick SV-3 at the top and bottom of the wall to provide moisture drainage, airflow, and an insect barrier. Q: Do I still need a starter strip with the Siding Vent System? A: Yes, since the siding has been furred out from the wall to the same thickness as the Siding Vents being used at the top and bottom, a starter strip like Cor-A-Vent’s Sturdi-Starter (see back cover) for the first course of siding will still be required. 2