Prosoco: Build Whether the Weather is With You or Not
/We don’t talk too much about Prosoco in our blog. In fact, this is the first time we’ve featured Prosoco air and water barrier products in one of our blog posts. It’s high time we corrected this oversight, since building airtightness into your project is as important as choosing the right mechanical system for your build.
Prosoco R-Guard Products at Small Planet Supply
As a supplier of high-performance building products, we were intrigued with the unique properties of these air and water barrier products because they offered our customers a way to achieve airtightness in a systemic way. Since then, Prosoco products proven to be a product with many repeat customers. These might be some of the reasons why:
R-Guard Products Can Be Used in Wetter Cooler Weather, Reducing Construction Delays
This is probably the biggest benefit of using the Prosoco R-Guard product line, especially for our customers. Building on the west coast means there are a lot of wet or cold days which impacts building schedules; using Prosoco R-Guard products can reduce days lost to weather.
R-Guard products can be applied to damp substrates, in rainy conditions and when surface and ambient temperatures are between 35-110 degrees F, reducing construction delays. Prosoco writes more about this in their blog post, “How the Right Fluid Applied Air Barrier Can Help Builders Eliminate Delays.”
Airtightness
R-Guard air barrier systems stop air leakage through wall structures, rough openings, sheathing seams, and material transitions, making your building airtight. Since Prosoco R-Guard works best as a system, it’s easier to ensure all air leakage areas that are addressed. How does it work? Check out Matt Risinger’s video, “How to Waterproof Your house with Prosoco R-Guard System”
Compatibility with Other Building Materials
R-Guard products easily adhere to CMU backup walls, pre-cast concrete and exterior sheathing for cavity wall, masonry veneer construction, stucco, EIFS and most other building wall assemblies.
Prosoco R-Guard Cat 5 System Meets Building Code Compliance
R-Guard products has been evaluated by the International Code Council evaluation service. Their evaluation report provides assurance for code officials, designers, specifiers and consultants that a product is compliant with building code.
The Cat 5 Air & Water-Resistive barrier system has been evaluated for its water-resistive, air barrier and surface burning characteristics and the products were found to be compliant with the following codes:
2009 International Building Code
2015, 2012 and 2009 International Residential Building Code
2009 International Energy Conservation Code
2016 California Residential Code®(CRC)
2016 California Energy Code®(CEC)
Prosoco R-Guard Products are an Environmentally Friendly Choice
R-Guard STPE air and water barrier products help satisfy the most stringent green standards set forth by the industry’s leading organizations such as the International Living Future Institute, U.S. Green Building Council and Passive House. Many R-Guard products are phthalate-free and VOC-compliant, giving them the green light for use on the most stringent environmental projects on the planet.
In addition, last September PROSOCO was recognized as a US Environmental Protection Agency 2020 Safer Choice Partner of the Year. This honor is given in recognition of a company’s achievements in the design, manufacture, selection and use of products with safer chemicals in the advancement of innovative source reduction.
Continuous Product Improvement and Multiple Ways of Providing Customer Support
Prosoco is constantly working to make changes that will improve customers’ experience with their product. Just a couple months ago they announced an improvement to their FastFlash product, decreasing stickiness after application, resulting in less construction site debris finding its way to the flashing.
Prosoco has online instructions (both video and written instructions) to help with using their products. In addition, there is a customer support line to help with application questions.
PROSOCO PRODUCTS
If you aren’t familiar with Prosoco products (yet), here is a brief description of the products that we carry at Small Planet Supply and what they’re used for on in your building project.
FOR ROUGH OPENINGS
FastFlash: Liquid Flashing Membrane
FastFlash is a liquid flashing membrane available in gun or rollergrade. Use FastFlash in rough openings, to fill joints and seams, to counter-flash waterproofing and air barrier components in new or existing wall assemblies, and to seal around penetrations.
Use FastFlash independently or with compatible R-Guard products to prevent the unwanted movement of water and air through building envelopes. Curious about how to use Fast Flash in a window replacement? Watch Matt Risinger use FastFlash to flawlessly install a window.
FOR INTERIOR AIR SEALING
AIRDAM
AirDam is an STP (silyl-terminated polymer) sealant formulated to create a long-lasting, weather-tight seal that prevents moist outside air from entering, and conditioned indoor air from escaping around window and door assemblies. Appropriate for interior or exterior use, AirDam® is easy to gun and tool in all weather conditions and cures quickly producing a durable, high-performance, high-movement elastomeric sealant. R-GUARD AirDam® is immediately waterproof and can be applied in unfavorable weather conditions to dry or damp substrates.
Use AirDam in all rough openings prepared with R-Guard FastFlash.
FOR JOINTS AND SEAMS
Joint & Seam Filler
Fiber reinforced fill coat and seam treatment Joint & Seam Filler is designed to fill openings and create transitions where flexible reinforcement is required to bridge larger gaps and provide continuous support of fluid-applied flashing membranes, waterproofing or air barrier components
FOR WALL FIELD
Cat-5: Rain Screen
Cat 5 Rain Screen is a roller-applied air and waterproof barrier that produces a highly durable, seamless, elastomeric weatherproof membrane on exterior sheathing behind open-jointed or vented rainscreen cladding. Use Cat 5 Rain Screen as the primary air and water barrier over above-grade wall assemblies.
Cat 5: Air and Waterproof Barrier
Cat 5 is a primary air barrier designed for use over above-grade structural surfaces prepared with Joint & Seam Filler and FastFlash. Cat 5 produces a highly durable, seamless, elastomeric weatherproofing membrane on exterior sheathing, CMU backup walls, and precast concrete. Proven to prevent water and air penetration of the building envelope in conditions ranging from every day to the 155-mph winds of a Category 5 hurricane.
As we mentioned previously, Prosoco products are products that have inspired customer loyalty in those who have used them. If you have questions about this product, complete the form below to be contacted by a Small Planet Supply sales specialist and we’ll get you the answers you need. (create form)
Ready to try Prosoco products on your next project? You can order at our USA and Canada online stores:
