Insulating Interior Basement Walls Vapor Barrier

A vapor retarder is a material used to prevent water vapor from diffusing into the wall ceiling or floor during the cold winter.

Insulating interior basement walls vapor barrier.

I live in central ontario canada. Bathrooms and kitchens produce an enormous amount of water vapor daily. When the mold grows it will spread to. In any case the vapor barrier must point to the warm side.

We ve written several articles about basement insulation and a cost effective approach to basement insulation using foam board and fiberglass insulation since writing those articles we ve received quite a few questions about when to use a basement vapor barrier and when not to. So we thought it might be a good idea to clear up some of the confusion. On the interior the best insulation to place against the concrete or block is rigid foam without any facing such as foil or plastic sheeting. I planned to install vapor barrier on top.

If you have a framed wall that is adjacent to a concrete foundation wall where the vapor barrier is next to the drywall in front of the studs the fiberglass insulation gets wet and becomes a breeding ground for mold. Not to be confused with a vapor barrier which is placed on the warm side of the wall just in front of the insulation and behind the drywall a moisture barrier goes against the basement wall. After the insulation is in place you will want to add a vapor retarder sometimes called a vapor barrier if you need one. My basement wall is insulated with a 2 inches of styrofoam on the interior and i built a 2 4 wall and added roxul insulation.

A vapor barrier reduces the movement of water vapor by. A vapor barrier s job is to keep water vapor in humid air from diffusing through one side of a wall and finding a cool surface inside the wall. Interior bathroom and kitchen walls for example are areas where there is great benefit to installing a vapor barrier. Basement vapor barrier and insulation.

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. The construction of the wall for instance is vital to the use of a vapor barrier. Vapor barriers are sheets of plastic or other material placed on one side of insulation sheets. It is for a bathroom with a tiled shower.

For reference my basement is currently finished with concrete exterior walls then charcoal colored wrap material there seems to be an inch or two between this wrap and the exterior walls then stud framing with r12 batt insulation between the studs then a vapor barrier and finally drywall on top of the vapor barrier. Is it ok to add this vapor barrier. Whether or not you need a vapor retarder hinges on three main factors. The short answer is no you generally do not want a vapor barrier on the walls of a finished basement.