Eliminate moisture problems with INTELLO® from pro clima

Recently, a builder in Tauranga explained to us why he has chosen to use INTELLO® on all his builds. The owner of a large waterfront home complained that they had water dripping from their downlights in the skillion roof section of their home. First, he suspected a roof leak and called out the roofer to investigate. The long-run metal roof proved to be intact, and no indication of leakage was found.

On further investigation, it was discovered that the moisture related issues were due to condensation forming on the underside of the roof underlay which in turn was saturating the insulation. Sadly, this is a known and an all-too-common issue in New Zealand with skillion roofs.

To protect the construction and its thermal envelope, install a continuous wall and ceiling airtightness layer on the inside of the insulation, also known as the warm side of insulation. Intelligent airtightness and vapour control membrane pro clima INTELLO® is one such airtightness layer and ensures the warm air that can hold large amounts of moisture cannot enter the construction from within.

The warm air moves through the insulation to the colder temperatures on the outside, and as the air cools, it no longer has the capacity to hold that volume of moisture. Once the air contacts the cold underside of the underlay or cladding, it eventually condenses and when total saturation occurs, physical water drips down into the insulation layer.

The pro clima Intelligent Airtightness System, featuring INTELLO®, is designed to easily create a continuous airtightness and vapour control layer on the inside of the building. The INTELLO® membrane has an intelligent variable vapour diffusion resistance which limits moisture from entering the construction in likes of wintertime but allows maximum drying in likes of summertime. This variable diffusion resistance can happen over a very short period of time, which works extremely well here in New Zealand with our maritime climate, where we can have four seasons in one day. INTELLO® is designed for use with all types of fibrous insulation: Glass Fibre, Wool, Wood Fibre and Cellulose. INTELLO® PLUS membrane, with its embedded strengthening mesh, offers increased strength and durability which is suitable for blown-in insulation applications.

Aside from INTELLO® and INTELLO® PLUS, pro clima’s Intelligent Airtightness System includes connecting detailing products such as sealing tapes and adhesives as well as a range of window tapes for different style of windows/doors and window/door locations.

pro clima INTELLO® is the first and only airtightness and vapour control membrane in New Zealand to have been issued a BRANZ appraisal (Appraisal No. 1149).

INTELLO® also holds a Declare label which certifies that it does not include any harmful or toxic chemicals as well as being a Passive House Certified component. Additionally, INTELLO® is approved as a Sensitive Choice product by the National Asthma Council and carries the blue butterfly symbol to identify INTELLO® as a product that benefits people with asthma and allergies.

If you want to know more about INTELLO® make sure you check out the My INTELLO® YouTube Episodes: www.proclima.co.nz/my-intello.

This Tech Tip was supplied by Pro Clima NZ Ltd. Pro Clima is an NZCB National Partner and a leader in reliable weathertightness and airtightness systems. Their high-performance roof and wall Weather Resistive Barriers, INTELLO® Intelligent Air Barrier, tapes and fixtures, ensure you can create durable, healthy and energy-efficient buildings.