It's drafty at the beams!

[Babbo]

Hi,
We live in a newly built house with thick massive beams. The facade is a plastered double wall of leca.

Now the beams have twisted and the wind blows in! Last winter was really cold. It doesn't help how much you raise the heat or light the stove . Now we need to fix it before winter! Does anyone have a tip on what we should seal with? The first thought is to use lin for caulking - but some type of foam sealant or silicone is more tempting.......

 

[seniorkonsult]

Dreva is good but use soft sealant on the inside. If it is possible to seal with wind protection on the outside, that is good but not with plastic, sealant or similar.

 

[Babbo]

Ok. Thanks for the reply . Sealant on the inside then. What does sealing with wind barrier mean? We have a "box" under the eaves. Is that a wind barrier?

 

[seniorkonsult]

Windbreaks are usually paper or similar or a board type like external gypsum, but since I don't know how it looks, it's hard to know what's needed. I don't understand the "box" under the eaves?

 

[Babbo]

External plaster sounds good! I didn't know that existed. Thanks for the tip. The beams go all the way out to the outer wall and there's nothing outside of them. By box, I mean that you don't see the sheathing but the roof is sort of enclosed. There's a word for it that I can't think of....;-)

 

[Mikael_L]

Newly built house? Isn't there a warranty, and the contractor has to fix the issues?

The beams extend all the way to the outer wall and there's nothing beyond them.

It's not really a good design.
It creates a significant thermal bridge there. Which can also locally lower the temperature in a small area of the wall, causing moisture to accumulate there, potentially leading to mold issues.

The "box" is often referred to as "inbuilt/clad eaves."

 

[seniorkonsult]

Note that "utv gips" cannot be unprotected. Then it’s better to use a minerite board or similar. The box is lined with a soffit as Mikael_L writes. If the timber ends are sticking out, then it’s not a particular thermal bridge to speak of. It is solid wood after all. I also say like the previous writer that if it's newly built, you have a warranty, and there is also a 10-year warranty against construction defects. Check the contract and house papers.

 

[Babbo]

Newly built house? Isn't there a warranty, and the contractor must fix the issues?

It isn't really a good execution. It becomes a thermal bridge there. Which can also locally lower the temperature in a small area of the wall, causing moisture to precipitate there, potentially leading to mold problems.

The "box" is usually called "built-in/clad eave."

The contractor is unresponsive. I've already been through a round with him in court. Over the slab that was completely uneven. It's strange that we got through the energy calculation with that construction. You're probably right that it becomes a thermal bridge. Or many! One at each beam. We are worried about moisture if we "seal" the facade outside the beams, so plasterboard might have been a good idea. This weekend, my husband will tear down the clad eave (yes, that's what it's called) and we'll see what's underneath.

 

[seniorkonsult]

We don't know what it looks like. Maybe it's possible to build something functional and nice outside.
If the builder can't be contacted, there should be a construction defects insurance, but of course, the deductibles are high.

 

[Mikael_L]

I can just mention that you should never place completely moisture and vapor-tight materials, like plastic, on the outermost part of an exterior wall construction. Sealing materials should be on the warm side, and it should be diffusion-open towards the cold outside air (fall/winter/spring).

 

[Babbo]

Note that "utv gips" cannot be unprotected. It is better to use mineritboard or similar. The box is clad with soffit as Mikael_L writes. If timber ends stick out, it is not really a thermal bridge to speak of. It is solid wood.
I also say like the previous writer that if it is newly built, you have a warranty, and there is also a 10-year guarantee against construction defects. Check contracts and house documents.

We have been in contact with Garbo, who says that the deductible is higher than the cost of fixing the error. The dispute about the slab became an expensive affair with lawyers involved. As mentioned, the contractor never makes mistakes according to himself. So we have decided to try to fix it ourselves. But we don't know how? My husband is handy, but we have no idea how to solve it.

 

[Babbo]

Ok. So not plaster but minerit board. Does it breathe? Or is it like plastic?
The problem is that it blows in! If you hold a candle up by the beams, it blows out (on a windy day).

 

[seniorkonsult]

Drawing with image? :|. Mineritskiva is dense. Used as wind protection.

 

[Mikael_L]

Minerit board is not vapor-tight. (but windproof)
OK, you might certainly wish for something with even lower vapor resistance, but if I understand you correctly, it's just a few small pieces you wish to install right where you have gaps?
In that case, I doubt it will be any problem.

edit:
Minerit seems to have about 5 times the vapor resistance of drywall, now that I checked the datasheet quickly.

 

[Babbo]

Drawing with image? :|

Yes, that's a good idea.
I will try to take pictures once we've torn it down. Ugh, it won't be fun to tear down in a new house.....
I'll get back to you
Thanks for the responses so far!