Best Vapor Barrier For Garage Ceiling

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

Best vapor barrier for garage ceiling.

The traditional way to insulate the walls and ceiling of a typical garage is to install fibreglass batt insulation in the walls and attic space followed by a six mil poly air vapour barrier and drywall. 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. And the ceiling acts as a enough of a vapor retarder. If you re adding new garage doors be sure to install insulated options.

I am starting the process of insulating my detached 23 x 32 garage in buffalo ny cold lots of snow winters with the secondary goal of having constant natural gas overhead heat keeping. I m so confused about vapor barriers. To know if you need a vapor retarder ask yourself a few basic questions. I build in a cold climate where many longtime builders swear that you shouldn t put a ceiling vapor barrier in.

Vapor barriers keep the air moisture in your house from condensing in the insulated cavities. Writing to ask if i should using a kraft paper barrier plastic vapor barrier or no vapor in my garage insulation project. The reasons go something like because you have to let the moisture escape or because the house has to breathe out the top what do the experts say. Vapor barriers are usually best installed on the side of the wall that experiences the hotter temperature and moister conditions.

This is normally done because it s the most cost effective method to achieve the desired level of comfort and ease of installation. Install as directed typically cutting to fit and using a staple gun to attach the vapor barrier to the studs. I live in mn and am insulating my garage ceiling in an attached garage. In existing spaces oil based paints or vapor barrier latex paints offer an effective moisture barrier.

The inner surface in colder climates and the outer surface in hot humid climates. Unless you have converted your garage into a kitchen a bathroom a laundry room or a space that generates a lot of moisture even for that a dehumidifier can absorb all the moisture in the garage to keep the air dry. Whether your vapor barrier is a facing or a film it must be placed on the warm in winter side of the wall. Should you put a vapor barrier in an insulated ceiling or not.

So you don t need a vapor barrier in the garage ceiling. I ve read the articles here and on other sites and it seems like i can t get a final decision. First of all a garage is not a signicant source of vapor as it is not occupied that much and you don t cook or bath in in it.