SPS 322.37(2)(a)(a)
General. Except as specified in
par. (b), windows, skylights and sliding glass doors shall have an air infiltration rate of no more than 0.3 cfm per square foot, and swinging doors no more than 0.5 cfm per square foot, when tested according to NFRC 400 or AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440 by an accredited, independent laboratory and listed and labeled by the manufacturer.
SPS 322.37(2)(b)
(b)
Exception. Site-constructed doors and windows shall be sealed with gasketing or weatherstripping or shall be covered with a storm door or storm window.
SPS 322.37(3)(a)(a) Exterior joints, seams or penetrations in the dwelling envelope, which are sources of air leakage, shall be sealed with durable caulking materials, closed with gasketing systems, taped, or covered with water-vapor-permeable house wrap. Joints to be treated include all of the following:
SPS 322.37(3)(a)1.
1. Openings, cracks and joints between wall cavities and window or door frames.
SPS 322.37(3)(a)2.
2. Between separate wall assemblies or their sill-plates and foundations.
SPS 322.37(3)(a)3.
3. Between walls, roof, ceilings or attic ceiling seals, and between separate wall panel assemblies, including between interior and exterior walls.
SPS 322.37(3)(a)4.
4. Penetrations of utility services through walls, floor and roof assemblies, and penetrations through top and bottom wall plates.
SPS 322.37(3)(b)
(b) Sealing shall be provided at the attic and crawl space panels, at recessed lights and around all plumbing and electrical penetrations, where these openings are located in the dwelling thermal envelope.
SPS 322.37(3)(c)
(c) The sealing methods between dissimilar materials shall allow for differential expansion and contraction.
SPS 322.37(4)
(4) Recessed lighting. When installed in the dwelling envelope, recessed lighting fixtures shall be sealed to limit air leakage between conditioned and unconditioned spaces by one of the following means:
SPS 322.37(4)(a)
(a) The fixture shall be IC-rated and labeled with enclosures that are sealed or gasketed to prevent air leakage to the ceiling cavity or unconditioned space.
SPS 322.37(4)(b)
(b) The fixture shall be IC-rated and labeled as meeting ASTM E 283 when tested at 1.57 psi pressure differential with no more than 2.0 cfm of air movement from the conditioned space to the ceiling cavity.
SPS 322.37(4)(c)1.1. The fixture shall be located inside an airtight sealed box with clearances of at least 0.5 inch from combustible material and 3 inches from insulation.
SPS 322.37(4)(c)2.
2. If the fixture is non-IC-rated, the box shall be constructed of noncombustible material that does not readily conduct heat.
SPS 322.37 Note
Note: The department will accept cement board, drywall, and other materials that exhibit flame spread and smoke developed indices of 10 or less when tested in accordance with ASTM E-84.
SPS 322.37(5)
(5) Fan housings. Gaps between a fan housing and a ceiling or wall that could result in air leaks shall be gasketed, sealed or caulked.
SPS 322.37(6)
(6) Compliance demonstration. Building envelope air tightness and insulation installation shall be demonstrated to comply with one of the following options:
SPS 322.37(6)(a)
(a)
Testing option. Building envelope tightness and insulation installation shall be considered acceptable when tested air leakage is less than seven air changes per hour (ACH) when tested with a blower door at a pressure of 33.5 psf (50 Pa). Testing shall occur after rough in and after installation of penetrations of the building envelope, including penetrations for utilities, plumbing, electrical, ventilation and combustion appliances. During testing all of the following shall be done:
SPS 322.37(6)(a)1.
1. Exterior windows and doors, fireplace and stove doors shall be closed, but not sealed.
SPS 322.37(6)(a)2.
2. Dampers shall be closed, but not sealed, including exhaust, intake, makeup air, backdraft and flue dampers.
SPS 322.37(6)(a)4.
4. Exterior openings for continuous ventilation systems and heat recovery ventilators shall be closed and sealed.
SPS 322.37(6)(b)
(b)
Visual inspection option. Building envelope tightness and insulation installation shall be considered acceptable when the items listed in Table 332.37, applicable to the method of construction, are field verified. Where required by the code official, an approved party independent from the installer of the insulation shall inspect the air barrier and insulation.
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See PDF for table 
SPS 322.37 History
History: CR 08-043: cr.
Register March 2009 No. 639, eff. 4-1-09;
CR 15-041: cr. (6), Table 322.37
Register December 2015 No. 720, eff. 1-1-16; correction in (6) (a) 6. made under s.
35.17, Stats.,
Register December 2015 No. 720.
SPS 322.38(1)(a)(a)
Definition. Under this section, a vapor retarder is a material with no intrinsic thermal or structural properties that has a rating of 1.0 perm or less when tested in accordance with ASTM standard E 96, Procedure A.
SPS 322.38(1)(b)1.1. The vapor retarder shall be continuous. All joints in a vapor retarder consisting of sheet material shall be overlapped 6 inches and taped or sealed, except as provided in
subd. 2. Rips, punctures, and voids in the vapor retarder shall be patched with vapor retarder materials and taped or sealed. Seams that are not over a framing member shall be taped or sealed.
SPS 322.38(1)(b)2.
2. Taping or sealing a vapor retarder is not required around doors and windows, behind bathtub enclosures, and at top and bottom wall plates, if the retarder is held to those materials in an airtight manner by other building components, such as gypsum wallboard.
SPS 322.38(2)(a)(a)
General. Except as provided under
par. (c), all frame walls, frame floors and frame ceilings that comprise the thermal envelope, shall have a vapor retarder installed on the warm-in-winter side of the thermal insulation.
SPS 322.38(2)(b)
(b)
Coverage. The vapor retarder shall cover the exposed insulation and the interior face of the framing.
SPS 322.38(2)(c)1.1. Where the vapor retarder is omitted, as allowed under
subds. 2. to
4., all sources of air leakage, such as between double top or bottom plates or between double studs, shall be caulked or sealed.
SPS 322.38(2)(c)3.
3. No vapor retarder is required where batt insulation is provided with foil or kraft paper backing on the warm-in-winter side and the nailing tabs are tightly fastened to the warm-in-winter face of the framing members.
SPS 322.38(2)(c)4.
4. No vapor retarder is required over cavities that have at least 50% of the required R-value provided by spray-applied foam having a perm rating of 1.0 or less, unless required by the foam manufacturer.
SPS 322.38(2)(c)5.
5. A
vapor retarder for a floor over an open, unheated area may consist of 5/8-inch tongue-and-groove oriented-strand board,
or 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove CDX plywood, which is exposure-rated plywood.
SPS 322.38(3)(a)(a) Except as allowed under
par. (d), a vapor retarder shall be installed directly under the concrete floor slab or under the base course of concrete floor slabs.
SPS 322.38(3)(b)
(b) Vapor retarder material shall be at least 6 mils in thickness or shall be a reinforced material.
SPS 322.38(3)(c)
(c) Joints in the vapor retarder shall be overlapped at least 6 inches and taped or sealed.
SPS 322.38(3)(d)
(d) A vapor retarder is not required under the slab of an unconditioned attached garage.
SPS 322.38(4)
(4) Concrete or masonry basement walls. A non-rigid sheet vapor retarder with a perm rating of 0.1 or less is prohibited in all of the following locations:
SPS 322.38(4)(a)
(a) On a concrete or masonry wall which is below grade to any extent.
SPS 322.38(4)(b)
(b) On an insulated frame wall constructed in front of a concrete or masonry wall which is below grade to any extent.
SPS 322.38 History
History: CR 08-043: cr.
Register March 2009 No. 639, eff. 4-1-09;
CR 09-104: r. (3) (d), renum. (3) (e) to be (3) (d)
Register December 2010 No. 660, eff. 1-1-11; correction in (3) (a) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7. Register December 2010 No. 660;
CR 15-041: renum. (1) (b) to (1) (b) 1. and am., cr. (1) (b) 2., am. (2) (c) 4., cr. (2) (c) 5.
Register December 2015 No. 720, eff. 1-1-16.
SPS 322.39
SPS 322.39 Ventilation and moisture control. SPS 322.39(1)(1)
General. Design and construction shall prevent deterioration from moisture condensation and ice damming.
SPS 322.39(2)(a)1.1. Except as allowed under
subd. 6., where air-permeable ceiling or attic insulation is installed in a horizontal position, ventilation shall be provided above the insulation in accordance with this paragraph.
SPS 322.39(2)(a)2.
2. At least 50% of the net free ventilating area shall be distributed at the high sides of the roof.
SPS 322.39(2)(a)3.
3. The remainder of the net free ventilating area shall be distributed in the lower half of the roof or attic area.
SPS 322.39(2)(a)4.
4. If more than 50%, but less than 75% of the net free ventilating area is provided at the high sides of the roof, the total net free ventilating area shall be a minimum of 1/300 of the horizontal area of the ceiling.
SPS 322.39(2)(a)5.
5. If 75% or more of the net free ventilating area is provided at the upper sides of the roof, the total net free ventilating area shall be at least 1/150 of the horizontal area of the ceiling.
SPS 322.39(2)(a)6.
6. Ventilation is not required for separated roof areas, such as dormers, bump-outs or bays that cover a floor area of 40 ft
2 or less.
SPS 322.39(2)(b)
(b) Engineered systems that provide equivalent ventilation to that required under this subsection may be used.
SPS 322.39(3)
(3) Conditioned attics. Attic spaces are not required to be vented where air-impermeable insulation is attached directly to the underside of the roof deck and all of the following conditions are met:
SPS 322.39(3)(a)
(a) No interior vapor retarders are installed between the living space and the conditioned attic.
SPS 322.39(3)(b)
(b) The temperature in the attic space is maintained high enough to prevent any moisture condensation on the insulation.
SPS 322.39 Note
Note: Maintaining the interior surface temperature of the insulation at or above the dew point temperature of the interior air will minimize condensation. Maintaining at least 45°F on the surface of the insulation will minimize condensation on the surface when the interior air temperature is 70°F and the interior relative humidity is 45%.
SPS 322.39(4)
(4) Cathedral ceilings. Air-permeable insulation in a cathedral ceiling assembly shall fill the entire cavity space unless an air barrier separates the top of the insulation from the ventilation space.
SPS 322.39(5)
(5) Mechanical ventilation. Outdoor air intakes and exhausts shall have automatic or gravity dampers that close when the ventilation system is not operating.
SPS 322.39(6)
(6) Clothes dryers. Clothes dryers shall be vented to the outside of the structure.
SPS 322.39 Note
Note: See s.
SPS 323.14 for vent material requirements.
SPS 322.39 History
History: CR 08-043: cr.
Register March 2009 No. 639, eff. 4-1-09.
SPS 322.40
SPS 322.40 Indoor temperatures and equipment sizing. SPS 322.40(1)(1)
General. The indoor temperatures listed under
sub. (2) shall be used to determine the total dwelling heat loss and to select the size of the of the heating equipment.
SPS 322.40(2)
(2) Indoor design temperatures. Unheated, non-habitable basement areas shall use a heating design temperature of less than 50
°F. All other areas of a dwelling shall use a heating design temperature of 70
°F.
SPS 322.40(3)
(3) Equipment sizing. Heating design loads including ventilation loads for the purpose of sizing systems shall be determined in accordance with the REScheck or REM/RATE software programs or one of the procedures described in Chapter
29 of ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals.
SPS 322.40 Note
Note: Residential heat balance, residential load factor, Canadian F280 and ACCA Manuals J and S are among the methods recognized as equipment-sizing protocols under chapter 29.
SPS 322.40 History
History: CR 08-043: cr.
Register March 2009 No. 639, eff. 4-1-09.
SPS 322.41(1)
(1)
General. Each system shall be provided with an adjustable thermostat for the regulation of temperature.
SPS 322.41(2)
(2) Circulating hot water systems. Circulating hot water systems shall include an automatic or readily accessible manual switch to turn off the circulating pump when the system is not in use.
SPS 322.41(3)
(3) Mercury thermostats. The installation of thermostats containing mercury is prohibited.
SPS 322.41 Note
Note: This section does not require the replacement of existing mercury-containing thermostats.
SPS 322.41(4)
(4) Heat pump supplementary heat. Heat pumps having supplementary electric-resistance heat shall have controls that, except during defrost, prevent supplemental heat operation when the heat pump compressor can meet the heating load.
SPS 322.41 History
History: CR 08-043: cr.
Register March 2009 No. 639, eff. 4-1-09.
