Attic Ceiling Vapor Barrier

Attic vapor barrier detail for cold climates.

Attic ceiling vapor barrier.

During the energy crisis of the 1970s a prevailing belief took root where it was thought that tightly sealing walls and ceilings with a vapor barrier was essential to blocking heat transference and reducing energy costs it was soon determined however that unless the seal was absolute moisture that did get into sealed walls could create serious structural problems and health issues such as. The attic studs and floor of the garage attic are configured in a way to allow the space to be finishe. Attic insulation should always be installed with the paper backing facing toward the living space the ceiling in this case. The heat being lost from the house below warmed up the attic so that moisture was lost through the vents as vapor.

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. Basement ceiling vapor barrier. Now with attic insulation heat is no longer lost from the living space such that. Some regions don t require a vapor barrier.

A vapor barrier in an attic assembly in a severely cold climate with the absence of an air barrier will likely be ineffective. Vapor barriers are sheets of plastic or other material placed on one side of insulation sheets. 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. This acts as a barrier to keep heated moist air from rising up into the attic during cold weather. To know if you need a vapor retarder ask yourself a few basic questions. In any case the vapor barrier must point to the warm side.

Whether using loose fill or batts put the vapor barrier closest to the warm side of your installation where hot moist air would get in facing the house s interior in cold climates beneath floor insulation and the attic s interior in hot climates on top of floor insulation. Even though we apply vapor barriers to exterior insulated walls in cold climates it s no longer recommended for ceilings floor of the attic.