Michigan Contractor and DuPont™ Tyvek®: Perfect Together

When the Board of Directors at University Townhouses, a 30-year-old, 690-unit co-op development in Ann Arbor, Michigan, decided it was time to replace the aluminum siding on its 135 buildings, it narrowed its choice to three contracting firms. One of those was D.A. Home Improvement, Inc., a $15 million a year remodeling and renovation contractor serving the Detroit, Michigan area.

To gauge which of the three contractors would be best suited for the project, the Board asked each contractor to install foam, a housewrap and vinyl siding on the front of three different buildings.

Dave Adamczyk, the owner and president of D.A. Home Improvements, Inc., had considerable experience in remodeling large, multi-unit condominium and co-op projects. He knew that community boards or their management companies are often accountable to hundreds of owners. They need to know that the contractor and products they are choosing are reliable. Adamczyk called his vinyl siding supplier and Norm Fleming, DuPont™ Tyvek® Specialist at Hansen Marketing Services, Inc., in Walled Lake, Michigan. He felt their product knowledge could be a plus when he made his presentation to the University Townhouses Board.

“DuPont™ Tyvek® is a household name recognized by many,” observed Adamczyk. “Having the DuPont™ Tyvek® Specialist as a resource and using Tyvek® HomeWrap® could only enhance our reputation.”

Adamczyk worked closely with Fleming to prepare his presentation, focusing on how housewrap works and what differentiates Tyvek® HomeWrap® from competitive brands. The presentation included micro-photography that shows how Tyvek® HomeWrap® is a fibrous structure engineered with microscopic pores to allow moisture vapor to escape but not permit bulk water and air to penetrate the wall surface.

Adamczyk also asked the DuPont™ Tyvek® Specialist to meet with his team to review proper installation techniques. This review led Adamczyk to decide to counter flash around the top and bottom of windows, creating a secure, continuous seal around the outside of the building. “Even though we weren’t required to do the double flashing, I wanted to make sure these homes would still be protected 10 years from now,” he said.

“It helped our presentation when we showed the importance of installing housewrap correctly to give it optimum performance,” said Adamczyk. “And Tyvek® was a big reason we received the bid on this job.”

The fact that Adamczyk talked about mold concerns, particularly how wind-driven rain and moisture can create a breeding ground for mold, mildew and wood rot if they penetrate behind siding and saturate walls was important to Mandel Armstrong, maintenance administrator for University Townhouses.

Adamczyk’s preparation and the installation tips for his crew paid off. “One of our competitors installed foam and another brand of housewrap,” Adamczyk recalled. “The housewrap was then seamed and taped over the duct tape, which had to be corrected. The other contractor installed another brand of housewrap under the foam until the maintenance administrator at University Townhouses noticed and told him how to do it correctly.”

“I feel the Board chose our company because of Tyvek® HomeWrap®, the Tyvek® Specialist’s knowledge, and the literature and presentation materials we used,” said Adamczyk. “We generated the confidence that the job would be completed properly.”

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