Vapor Barrier Required in Building Code
Q: I am in the process of building a new home. I have been told that the CABO requires the installation of a vapor barrier, house wrap type product. I have searched this code and found vapor barrier mentioned in many places but cannot identify that it is applicable to a house wrap. Can you please advise me of the code site number that requires this?
A: Thanks for your inquiry. The Council of American Building Officials (CABO) served as the umbrella organization for the three building code organizations in the U.S. (BOCA, ICBO, and SBCCI ) since 1972. However, it has now merged with the International Code Council, Inc. (ICC) to create the International Codes, a single comprehensive and coordinated family of model building regulations, to promote code uniformity throughout the country. You can order copies of the code at http://www.intlcode.org.
However, I would think the most effective way to handle this would be to contact directly the local jurisdiction (usually your City or County Building Department), which issued the building permit for your home. One of their officials should be able to tell you if it is a law and provide you with necessary documentation for your builder. In most areas, buildings that do not comply with proper building codes will not pass inspections, thus not be eligible for draws (payments), etc. Money is usually the strongest motivator of all!
by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com