Attic Insulation Vapor Barrier Or Not

Never compress or fluff your insulation.

Attic insulation vapor barrier or not.

Vapor barriers in attics should only be installed on one side of the insulation. With spray foam unlike with loose fill or batts you must cover the soffit vents they aren t needed to keep the roof cool. 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. Before the introduction of attic insulation attics in cold climates were poorly insulated and plastic ceiling vapor barriers were omitted.

This acts as a barrier to keep heated moist air from rising up into the attic during cold weather. Attic insulation should always be installed with the paper backing facing toward the living space the ceiling in this case. Such a location works both as a vapor barrier as well as an air barrier and eliminates the need for an external air barrier not a easy application on a multi storried building as well as any special electrical pans and their sealing. Then cover the foam with drywall as required for fire safety.

Protects your attic from mildew and mold such fungi thrive in damp places. Fiberglass insulation must stay dry to be effective. Adding a second vapor barrier could cause condensation to become trapped in the insulation between the two vapor barriers. You can forego the plastic and use a vapor retarder kraft faced insulation or latex ceiling paint in all other climates except hot humid or hot dry climates.

Since some leakage of moisture into the insulation in inevitable murphy s law you want it to be able to freely escape from the insulation into the attic. I install my vapor barrier in the middle of the wall system between the two walls. The best approach for a vented attic in a cold climate is installing a layer of drywall with a good coat of latex paint the paint creates a semi permeable 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.

Not be trapped inside. However all attics vented or unvented and in all climates should have an air barrier such as an airtight drywall ceiling. Not every wall does. The insulation fiberglass or cellulose is then placed on top of the drywall with no vapor barrier above or below.

Even if it asks you to. Vapor barriers are sheets of plastic or other material placed on one side of insulation sheets. Foam blocks airflow needs no vapor barrier and has a higher r value per inch than loose fill or batts so you ll get more protection with less depth. After the insulation is in place you will want to add a vapor retarder sometimes called a vapor barrier if you need one.