Attic Ceiling Vapor Barrier

The heat being lost from the house below warmed up the attic so that moisture was lost through the vents as vapor.

Attic ceiling vapor barrier.

Some regions don t require a vapor barrier. 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. Almost 6 years by bv006343. Attic vapor barrier detail for cold climates.

Attic insulation should always be installed with the paper backing facing toward the living space the ceiling in this case. A vapor barrier in an attic assembly in a severely cold climate with the absence of an air barrier will likely be ineffective. In any case the vapor barrier must point to the warm side. 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.

Basement ceiling vapor barrier. Even though we apply vapor barriers to exterior insulated walls in cold climates it s no longer recommended for ceilings floor of the attic. This acts as a barrier to keep heated moist air from rising up into the attic during cold weather. A vapor retarder is a material used to prevent water vapor from diffusing into the wall ceiling or floor during the cold winter.

Vapor barriers are sheets of plastic or other material placed on one side of insulation sheets. To know if you need a vapor retarder ask yourself a few basic questions. The attic studs and floor of the garage attic are configured in a way to allow the space to be finishe. Before the introduction of attic insulation attics in cold climates were poorly insulated and plastic ceiling vapor barriers were omitted.

Because it s nearly impossible to seal penetrations in the ceiling the reality is water vapor will get into the attic. 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.