When you're building a house, there are a lot of different products you may want to include. In particular, you may be wondering if you should use certain James Hardie products, such as a weather barrier. Also called a housewrap, this type of barrier can be useful in a number of situations. Here's a look at some of the potential advantages.

Adds Extra Protection for Certain Types of Siding

Weather wrap gives your home extra protection if you have certain types of siding. In particular, if you are planning to put wood, vinyl or aluminium siding on your home, there often ends up being openings between the different pieces, and wrap prevents the elements from sneaking through those cracks.

In contrast, if you are using brick siding or stucco, you generally don't have cracks like that. The stucco or the mortar between the bricks is contiguous. As a result, you don't need house wrap.

Protects Against Moisture

The exterior of a home is designed to protect the interior of the home from water, but if you want an extra layer of protection you may want to consider a HardieWrap or a similar type of housewrap.

This is especially important in areas where you have a lot of rain that drives in from the side.  When rain falls from above, it generally lands in the gutters and gets carried away from your home through the downspout. However, if it is falling sideways, it may penetrate past the siding and get to your frame. A house wrap helps minimise that risk.

Inhibits the Growth of Mould

By keeping moisture away from the frame of your home, a house wrap inhibits the growth of mould. If you are trying to minimise the number of chemicals used in your home, you may not want to use timber framing that has been treated with a mildewcide and a house wrap helps you avoid that.

Helps Prevent Drafts

At the same time, by wrapping your home in an extra protective layer, house wrap also helps to prevent drafts. Unfortunately, sometimes unwanted air can get past your home's outer layer, and that can cause your HVAC system to work even harder. When you minimise drafts, you save money on heating or cooling your home.

If you're trying to save money, you may only want to put up the wrap on one side of your home. Most areas have prevailing winds from one direction, and you simply need to put the wrap on the side of the house that faces that direction.