Moisture Barrier For Basement Walls

After the insulation is in place you will want to add a vapor retarder sometimes called a vapor barrier if you need one.

Moisture barrier for basement walls.

A basement vapor or moisture barrier is installed during the new construction of a home or the remodeling of a basement. Justdoityourself lovingit perfecteverytime s. The other option is to set the 2 4 wall framing in 4 from the masonry or concrete basement walls and use just the vapor barrier on the insulation facing toward the living space. 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.

Also be sure to use treated lumber for the bottom plate on the wall framing. The main concerns are condensation and drying potential. 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. In exterior walls that are below grade like basement walls.

Here is a great system to do that. Here are three different types explained. Whether or not you need a vapor retarder hinges on three main factors. Polyurethane sheeting is a typical vapor barrier that contractors use to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of a basement.

The standard installation of a plastic vapor barrier is between the studs and the drywall but there are some exceptions to this. When the mold grows it will spread to everything around it studs drywall etc. The material is stapled to the frame of a basement wall before it is finished with plaster or. 1 on the interior wall between the heated and unheated portion of the basement i would not use with a vapor barrier.

Before framing the walls of your basement install a moisture barrier to prevent water and moisture from entering the wall cavity. A vapor retarder is a material used to prevent water vapor from diffusing into the wall ceiling or floor during the cold winter. Not every wall does. In winter the dew point of the interior air is typically about 50 f assuming an air temperature of 70 f and a relative humidity of 50.