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Foam Sheathing Coalition

The Foam Sheathing Coalition (FSC), is a coalition of insulating sheathing manufacturers, their trade associations and materials suppliers, as well as other companies who have an interest in building energy-efficient exterior walls with code-compliant wall-bracing techniques. The FSC is launching a new awareness campaign designed to educate building code officials, design professionals and residential builders about the benefits of using insulating foam sheathing products.

The new campaign, anchored by the theme "_______________", illustrates that exterior walls constructed with insulating sheathing are durable, moisture-resistant and thermally-efficient compared to buildings that only used wood structural sheathings like oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood. According to the Department of Energy, properly insulated homes can save homeowners up to 30 percent on their monthly energy bill. Because of building code language, adopted in 2003, this mission has been made more difficult because of the confusion the new language infused into the code. Thus, the first task of the FSC is to enlighten and educate code officials and builders as to the original "intent" of this part of the code that has to do with allowable wall-bracing techniques. And, as part of this task, FSC has introduced a code change proposal that will fix the confusion the new language has created for builders and building code officials alike. Last, but not least, if this code language is not adequately addressed and fixed, it creates an exclusionary use for wood-based exterior sheathing products. This means less choice for builders, and less energy-compliant building codes for national, state, and local legislative jurisdictions.

Builders and homeowners can realize the energy and moisture benefits of foam insulating sheathing while meeting all wall structural requirements of model building codes. Building codes incorporate bracing options that allow complete coverage of exterior walls with foam insulating sheathing. Thus, it is possible to use an insulating sheathing with a typical minimum R-value (i.e., for ½" thicknesses) instead of a like thickness of non-insulating sheathing, such as OSB, which has an R-Value of 0.51. Most insulating sheathings are also water resistant - thus, they do not rot or transmit water into the wall.

Walls built without insulating sheathing leave the majority of wood studs, framing, ducts, wiring and plumbing uninsulated. As a result, in an average home, this means 25 percent of the exterior wall is left uninsulated. Because of its unique menu of characteristics, foam plastic insulating sheathing is also the product of choice when insulating other areas of the home, including foundations, basements, ceilings and roofs. Foam insulation benefits the environment since life-cycle analysis shows it helps reduce energy consumption, which in turn conserves natural resources, thus reducing the amount of harmful air pollutants released into the atmosphere.