Vapour Barrier Attic

Vapor barriers are sheets of plastic or other material placed on one side of insulation sheets.

Vapour barrier attic.

Attic vapor barrier detail for cold climates. Whether or not you need a vapor retarder hinges on three main factors your climate your home and the location of the wall you re insulating. Most forms of attic insulation benefit from the addition of a vapor barrier to protect them from the harmful effects of moisture which can reduce their effectiveness over time the following are a few simple steps to help you undertake the task properly so your vapor barrier retains heat without damaging the insulation. To know if you need a vapor retarder ask yourself a few basic questions.

Even though we apply vapor barriers to exterior insulated walls in cold climates it s no longer recommended for ceilings floor of the attic. Vapor barriers are also a cold climate artifact that have diffused into other climates more from ignorance than need. Rose 1997 regales readers of this history. In existing spaces oil based paints or vapor barrier latex paints offer an effective moisture barrier.

It is frightening indeed that construction practices can be so dramatically. On the other hand an air barrier a properly detailed air tight drywall ceiling for example in the absence of a vapor barrier can be effective since it stops the flow of vapor laden air. A vapor retarder is a material used to prevent water vapor from diffusing into the wall ceiling or floor during the cold winter. Because it s nearly impossible to seal penetrations in the ceiling the reality is water vapor will get into the attic.

The history of cold climate vapor barriers itself is a story based more on personalities than physics. The paper facing contains a layer of impermeable asphalt that prevents water vapor from passing through it. A vapor barrier in an attic assembly in a severely cold climate with the absence of an air barrier will likely be ineffective. If your climate does not meet these conditions a vapor retarder like latex ceiling paint will work well for your house if you are in all other climates except the hot dry and hot humid.

Vapor barriers are usually best installed on the side of the wall that experiences the hotter temperature and moister conditions. This barrier is meant to keep moisture from getting to the insulation in the walls and ceilings and it is required by building codes when insulating most houses. In any case the vapor barrier must point to the warm side.