Method for covering and accessing mate lines during building construction

A process for covering, protecting and providing access to mate lines during building construction comprises the steps of:

• preparing a vertical and horizontal mate line closure flap,
• carrying out a vertical and horizontal mate line access process,
• carrying out a vertical and horizontal mate line closing process,
• repeating the vertical and horizontal mate line access and closing processes as required, and
• carrying out a vertical and horizontal mate line sealing process to complete the building weatherization, wherein,
• preparation of the vertical mate line closure flap further comprises the steps of:
• providing a first building module having an external wall, the first module having a height H1, a width, a top edge, a bottom edge, a right vertical edge, a left vertical edge, wherein the external wall comprises sheathing having a synthetic vapor-permeable water-resistant barrier (WRB) sheet affixed to and covering the entire outer surface of the sheathing, the WRB sheet of the first module further extending a distance FV beyond either the right or left vertical edges of the first module to form a vertical flap, the flap having a longitudinal edge, wherein the distance FV exceeds the width (MV) of the vertical mate line to be covered by at least 152 mm,
• providing a second building module located in a horizontal direction to the side of the first module and having a vertical mate line between the two modules, the second module having an external wall wherein the external wall comprises sheathing having a synthetic WRB sheet affixed to and covering the entire outer surface of the sheathing,
• providing a vertical support member having a length LV, width, a first end, a second end, and a first face wherein length LV is no greater than the height H1 of the first module,
• fully extending the vertical flap of the first module over onto the WRB sheet of the second module thereby covering the vertical mate line between the first and second modules and part of the WRB sheet of the second module,
• positioning the vertical support member underneath the extended WRB flap such that the first face of the vertical support member is flush with, or in close proximity to, the longitudinal edge of the flap, and the first end of the member does not extend beyond the top edge of the first module and the second end of the member does not extend beyond the bottom edge of the first module,
• attaching the WRB sheet covering the vertical support member to the support member with a first fastener,
• attaching the covered support member to the sheathing of the second module with a second fastener,
• preparation of the horizontal mate line closure flap further comprises the steps of:
• providing a first building module having an external wall, the first module having a height H1, a width W1, a top edge, a bottom edge, a right vertical edge, a left vertical edge, wherein the external wall comprises sheathing having a synthetic WRB sheet affixed to and covering the entire outer surface of the sheathing, the WRB sheet of the first module further extending a distance FH beyond the bottom edge of the first module to form a horizontal flap, the flap having a longitudinal edge, wherein the distance FH exceeds the width MH of the horizontal mate line to be covered by at least 50 mm,
• providing a third building module located in a vertical direction below the first module, the third module having an external wall wherein the external wall comprises sheathing having a synthetic WRB sheet affixed to and covering the entire outer surface of the sheathing,
• providing a horizontal support member having a length LH, width, a first end, a second end, and a first face wherein the length LH is no greater than the width W1 of the first module,
• fully extending the horizontal flap of the first module over onto the WRB sheet of the third module thereby covering the horizontal mate line between the first and third modules and part of the WRB sheet of the third module,
• positioning the horizontal support member underneath the extended WRB flap such that the first end of the horizontal support member is flush with, or in close proximity to the longitudinal edge of the flap, and the first end of the support member does not extend beyond the right vertical edge of the first module and the second end of the support member does not extend beyond the left vertical edge of the first module,
• attaching the WRB sheet covering the horizontal support member to the support member with a first fastener,
• attaching the covered support member to the sheathing of the third module with a second fastener,
• accessing the vertical mate line comprises the steps of:
• removing the fastener securing the vertical support member to the sheathing of the second module,
• folding the vertical support member and WRB flap back over the mate line so as to overlap the sheathing of the first module by a distance sufficient to expose the mate line, and
• securing the support member to the sheathing of the first module by a third fastener,
• accessing the horizontal mate line comprises the steps of:
• removing the fastener securing the horizontal support member to the sheathing of the third module,
• folding the horizontal support member and WRB flap back over the mate line so as to overlap the sheathing of the first module by a distance sufficient to expose the mate line, and
• securing the covered support member to the sheathing of the first module by a third fastener,
• closing the vertical mate line comprises the steps of:
• removing the fastener securing the vertical support member to the first module,
• fully extending the vertical flap back over the mate line so as to cover it and
• attaching the support member to the sheathing of the second module with a second fastener,
• closing the horizontal mate line comprises the steps of:
• removing the fastener securing the horizontal support member to the first module,
• fully extending the vertical flap back over the mate line so as to cover it and
• attaching the support member to the sheathing of the third module with a second fastener,
• carrying out the horizontal mate line sealing process to complete the building weatherization comprises the steps of:
• removing the fastener used to secure the horizontal support member to the first or third module,
• cutting the WRB flap along its length close to the support member so as to free it from the support member,
• ensuring the WRB flap covers the mate line and fully extends onto the surface of the third module, and
• attaching the flap to the sheathing of the third module with a fourth fastener so as to seal all three edges of the flap,
• carrying out the vertical mate line sealing process to complete the building weatherization comprises the steps of:
• removing the fastener used to secure the vertical support member to the first or second module,
• cutting the WRB flap along its length close to the support member so as to free it from the support member,
• ensuring the WRB flap covers the mate line and fully extends onto the surface of the second module, and
• attaching the flap to the sheathing of the second module with a fourth fastener so as to seal all three edges of the flap.