Hal Yardquay’s Blog

What Are RC Assurance Clips and Why Do I Need Them?

The RC Assurance Clip acts as an impenetrable washer that puts extra space between the channel and the joist.  The snap on clip works with any resilient channel but is specifically designed for use with RC Deluxe from Dietrich.  RC Assurance Clips are used with resilient channel to eliminate the possibility of short circuiting your resilient channel installation.

RC Assurance Clips will not improve the performance of a successfully installed resilient channel system, but will ensure that your resilient channel installation is a success.  Almost every resilient channel installation will have at least one short and most installations will typically have short circuits in 15% or more of the connections.  While decent results can be accomplished with resilient channel, if you have multiple short circuits then the benefit of the resilient channel will be completely negated.

Developed a number of decades ago, resilient channel is one of the first sound isolation products used.  The popularity of resilient channel has been reduced significantly with innovations such as resilient sound clips and Green Glue, but resilient channel remains pretty popular in some parts of the United States.  One of the reasons resilient channel has become less popular is a huge and common issue with the installation of resilient channel.

The typical design and UL assembly calls for a fastener of 1”.  The typical installation utilizes a 1.25” or 1.5” fastener, mostly to aid in the “grab” of the screw to the channel.  This minor modification assures that 15% of the connections or more will be compromised and that the performance of the system will short circuit the low frequency transmission effectiveness of the system.  Now that lab tested 52 becomes a field 42.  The resilient channel needs another 0.375” to assure that connections are limited between the gypsum board and the joist assembly.  The RC Assurance Clip provides that space.

How Many Would I Need?

Each stud or joist that your resilient channel crosses will require an RC Assurance Clip.  The number of clips you need will depend on the spacing of your studs or joists and the spacing of your resilient channel rows.  Framing is typically 16″ on center and resilient channel is typically spaced 24″ on center.

Use this table below to help decide the number of clips you need.  Choose your framing spacing off to the left and the spacing for the resilient channel from the top row.  Then take your total square footage of all the areas where resilient channel will be installed and multiply it by the corresponding number below.  That will be a pretty good estimate of how many clips you will need.

So if you are putting resilient channel on an 8′ tall wall that is 12′ wide then you will need approximately 50 RC Assurance Clips if you space your resilient channel 2′ on center from floor to ceiling.  A quick calculation for how many clips you need can be accomplished by taking the total square feet of your wall or ceiling where you are installing the resilient channel and divide by two.

How Do I Install These Clips?

• Resilient channels should be RC Deluxe as manufactured by Dietrich. Lawn Care Service in Boise, Star, Meridian, and Eagle Idaho.  Or equal dimensionally manufactured product.Nominal dimensions are:

  a. 2.5” overall width
  b. 0.50” thickness dimension
  c. 0.50” screw area for the RC Channel to the joist
  d. 1.50” screw area for gypsum board to RC Channel
  e. 25 gauge galvanized steel

• RC Assurance is a spacer that is used in every location where a resilient channel is connected to a joist.
• RC Assurance is designed to snap on to the 0.50” FLANGE of a resilient channel with the pinch point on the top and bottom. The 90 degree leg points down toward the open area of the resilient channel.
• Spacing for Resilient Channels varies from UL Assembly & may be between 12.0” on center to 24.0” on center. Please consult your project specifications for proper spacing.
• Layout all resilient channels, following the recommended guidelines of the Gypsum Contractors Association, UL & the project specifications.
• FASTENING THE RESILIENT CHANNEL TO THE JOIST WITH RC ASSURANCE™
  For installation with RC Deluxe from Dietrich, snap enough RC Assurance onto the flange of the resilient channel to fasten the entire 12 foot section, one for each joist connection; RC Assurance will lock & slide to the proper position. Use a 1 3/4” Type “S” bugle head screw to fasten the assembly to the joist. Complete the installation of the channel leaving a small (0.125”) gap between the structural wall elements & the butt end of the resilient channel. Where possible, utilize the screw holes in the resilient channel but where alignment with the center of a joist does not work screw through the resilient channel to fasten to the joist.
• SEAMING RESILIENT CHANNEL
  Most assemblies require a 4.0” overlap of resilient channel butt ends. For this application, slide the two flanges into the RC Assurance & screw through both pieces to fasten to the joist.
• CONNECTING GYPSUM BOARD TO RESILIENT CHANNEL
  Consult the UL Assembly specification or the project specification for the type of screw to install. Typically, Type “S” or Type “W” bugle head screws are required. RC ASSURANCE is typically installed with 1.25” Type ”S” screw for the first layer of gypsum board and with a 1 7/8” Type “S” screw for a second layer.

DOWNLOAD THIS INSTALLATION GUIDE AS A .PDF

Conclusion

You only have one shot at attempting to isolate sound.  If you decide to go with a resilient channel system and you short circuit the channel then your efforts will not be effective.  RC Assurance Clips are very affordable and only add a cost of about fifteen cents per square foot to your project.  The benefits of the RC Assurance Clips is huge compared to the minimal cost which is why this clip is a must if you are planning on installing resilient channel on your project.

Click here to purchase RC Assurance Clips from our store.