Instructions / Assembly
28
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Exposure
Weathering
Owens Corning
®
®
RainBarrier
®
mineral wool insulation products are designed to handle exposure during the normal
construction cycle where the insulation is being installed ahead of the building’s façade. During this time, it is expected that our insulation
will be exposed to the normal environmental elements, such as moisture, periodic rain, and snow. RainBarrier
®
insulation products are
designed to handle this normal exposure and absorb less than 0.03% moisture by volume. If the exterior wall system is properly designed
to handle moisture drainage within the assembly, then any additional moisture that penetrates the insulation will drain out of the material
and allow it to dry out.
When exposed to weather, RainBarrier
®
insulation products will remain installed when using the proper method of mechanical
attachment to a solid substrate. It is not recommended for insulation to be exposed to extreme weather conditions, such as natural
If the material remains in place, and is not dislodged, removed, or mechanically damaged, the properties of the insulation will be
maintained, provided that the drainage noted above occurs.
If the above expected conditions are met, Owens Corning
®
®
RainBarrier
®
insulation products can be exposed for 90 days
without adversely affecting the product with unfaced materials, and 30 days with faced materials.
Drying and Maintenance of Performance
Owens Corning conducted tests to determine the performance of continuous insulation after exposure to moisture and subsequent
drying. Testing was conducted for thermal conductivity ratings per ASTM C518 on a dry piece of curtain wall insulation. The insulation
was submerged in water for an extended time period (88 hours) to allow the material to become completely saturated. The insulation
was then allowed to dry. When dry, the material was again tested for thermal conductivity ratings.
The thermal conductivity ratings showed identical results for both the wet and dry materials.
UV Exposure
Owens Corning
®
®
RainBarrier
®
insulation products are nondeteriorating and inorganic, making them UV-resistant.
RainBarrier
®
Dark™ has been tested utilizing method ICC-ES AC38 Section 4.1.2 UV Exposure with ASTM D2244 Color Evaluation.
Results are deemed an acceptable change in black color after UV exposure.
Mold Growth
Owens Corning
®
®
RainBarrier
®
insulation products are inorganic and do not provide a food source to support mold growth.
These products have been tested per ASTM Standard C1338, which is the test method for determining the resistance of insulation to
the growth of fungi. The insulation material is sprayed with a fungal spore suspension, incubated in a warm, humid environment, and
checked for fungal growth after 28 days of incubation. The test demonstrated that Owens Corning
®
®
RainBarrier
®
insulation
products supported no fungal growth.
Moisture Performance
Owens Corning
®
®
RainBarrier
®
insulation products are vapor permeable and engineered not to absorb moisture. They
have a minimal sorption of just 0.03%, even in harsh, hot, and humid environmental conditions, such as those measured by ASTM
C1104 (120°F, 95% humidity for 96 hours¹). This indicates consistent thermal performance during the service conditions of the thermal
insulation. Finally, the sorption property is consistent throughout the thickness of the mineral wool ci.