Air-Shield Liquid Flashing Features and Benefits

Air-Shield Liquid Flashing is one of the newer additions to the W. R. Meadows line of building envelope products. Specifically, Air-Shield Liquid Flashing has been developed as an accessory to help fully seal the structure from the ingress of moisture, especially in tricky areas such as around windows, doors, and other enclosures. Just one slight unprotected area in this key area could create an easy way for moisture to invade the building envelope, creating increased energy costs, unsafe indoor air quality and many other potential problems.

Air-Shield Liquid Flashing was formulated specifically to fully seal these areas where moisture could penetrate. And as we’ve developed the product, we’ve found certain areas where the product has performed even better than we expected.

First, Air-Shield Liquid Flashing can be applied in damp conditions. It can be applied to surfaces that are damp ( but have no standing water) and in many cases it can be applied in sprinkling conditions as long as the rain is not running down the opening. Typically, openings stay dry or just damp in light rain due to the fact that it is protected from the building. This allows workers to work and not spend the day in a hotel or at home – this helps with the progress of the project and saves the subcontractor labor costs.

Secondly, Air-Shield Liquid Flashing does not peel back. Many self-adhering sheet membranes, when left exposed to the elements, will peel from the surface. This also happens if the priming is subpar or the membrane isn’t rolled out fully. In these conditions, the self-adhering sheet membrane will fold back at the perimeters and time will have to be spent resealing the perimeter of the self-adhering membrane. This is not required with Air-Shield Liquid Flashing as the product does not peel back due to these issues.

Finally, there is a limited amount of space for rough opening detailing because the window has to fit inside the frame. Self-adhering flashings sometimes can have a buildup of material in the corners. This buildup can consist of three or four pieces which are equal to 1/8” or greater of material and the window installer ends up cutting it off to fit the window. Then, there is no protection after the window is installed. When applied properly, Air-Shield Liquid Flashing should never have a buildup of more than 25 mils or 1/16” or less. This allows the window to fit nicely in the frame and allows for a nice, continuous bond between the material and the silicone sealant used to seal or tie the system together.

There are just some of the advantages we’ve noticed with the use of Air-Shield Liquid Flashing. As we learn more about this technology, stay tuned to our blog as we share some details.

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