A Modern, Comprehensive Solution That Checks All the Boxes for Builders and Owners.
There is no controlling our seasonal distance from the sun or the warm and cold fronts that make up part of the daily forecast.
For homeowners of every kind, that means maintaining a comfortable interior temperature is a yearlong challenge that requires constant adjustment – opening or closing the blinds, moving the temperature on the thermostat up or down, opening the windows, or lighting the fireplace.
The long-term impact on this changing equation begins with the construction of the home. Smart insulation makes a discernible difference, and it start at the exterior of the structure – the first line of defense against mother nature.
Fully Integrated
Many continuous insulation products require an additional layer of structural sheathing to complete the wall system and allow for the installation of exterior finishing materials like brick or siding.
What if there was a product that provided the structural sheathing and continuous insulation in one solution?
What if that same product also included a water-resistive barrier and an air barrier?
Enter OX-IS: An integrated structural continuous insulation solution that delivers four components of the exterior wall system in one product:
- Structural sheathing
- Continuous insulation
- Air barrier
- Water-resistive barrier
A Command Performance
Thermal bridging and moisture build-up are two of the biggest concerns when it comes to exterior walls, and OX-IS is manufactured specifically to overcome these challenges.
Thermal bridging occurs when heat is transferred through an uninsulated material such as a wall stud. This occurs in wood and steel frame construction, but more so in steel because it is much more conductive than wood.
Exterior continuous insulation, such as OX-IS, prevents thermal bridging (and therefore thermal loss) by providing an uninterrupted barrier that is installed outside the studs. This allows builders to deliver high R-values even in 2×4 construction. For the owner, those hard-earned dollars spent to consistently maintain a comfortable interior temperature are not wasted.
Thermal loss can spoil comfortable interior environments and negatively impact energy consumption, but moisture penetration is an added concern that can cause permanent damage to structural components.
Continuous insulation is installed outboard of the studs, which moves the dew point from inside the wall cavity to the outer side of the sheathing. As a result, the opportunity for condensation to form within the wall cavity is dramatically reduced. This significantly decreases the risk of mold growth as well as defending against structural rot.
Ultimately, structural continuous insulation maintains the integrity of your building to keep it and its occupants healthy.
Time is Money
Performance-wise, structural continuous insulation is the optimal solution when assembling and constructing the exterior wall of any building. The solution also delivers time and cost savings on the jobsite.
OX-IS is one-third the weight on traditional OSB. This quality allows for more efficient use of labor on the jobsite, requiring less hands on deck.
In addition to the structural sheathing and continuous insulation components of OX-IS, the product features an integrated water-resistive barrier as well as an air barrier. In typical construction, OSB or another sheathing product must be installed first, then a weather-resistive barrier, and finally a layer of continuous insulation. For a single-family home, including a day for framing, that’s at least four days of labor.
With OX-IS, labor time (and ensuing costs) are cut in half: one day to install the framing and a second day to install OX-IS structural insulated sheathing.
The Total Package
Between choosing the right high-performance materials, meeting budgets, and keeping crews safe while working efficiently, construction crews are always seeking to achieve a balance. At the same time, they must deliver on the mandate from the eventual occupants of the home – a safe, comfortable house that is built to last.
OX-IS provides a solid defense against hot/cold air transfer, moisture accumulation, mold growth, and structural rot. It’s the ultimate solution for the long term.
For builders, the product is easier to manage because of its relatively light weight, and its 4-in-1 integrated design significantly reduces jobsite installation time.
In the end, OX-IS delivers on all fronts. It removes short-term complexity, and it delivers long-term value.
To learn more about how Ox products can help drive a lower HERS rating, visit: https://www.oxengineeredproducts.com/hers/
