Plastic Moisture Barrier Basement Walls

Building codes usually require a vapor barrier 4 mil plastic sheeting on exterior basement walls if the framing is attached to masonry or concrete surfaces or if the wood framing butts up against the outer basement walls.

Plastic moisture barrier basement walls. Polyurethane sheeting is a typical vapor barrier that contractors use to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of a basement. Because of this you ve likely asked yourself. A vapor barrier reduces the movement of water vapor by diffusion. Unlike cellars basements need to be dry comfortable environments that effectively keep out any possible contaminants.

Making basements appropriate places to live is more complicated than you might assume. Should i install a vapor barrier in my basement. When a vapor barrier is on the side of a wall where the dry air is i e outside in winter or inside in summer moisture problems can occur. The standard installation of a plastic vapor barrier is between the studs and the drywall but there are some exceptions to this.

A basement vapor or moisture barrier is installed during the new construction of a home or the remodeling of a basement. Here are three different types explained. Holes in the vapor barrier that allow humid air through may allow a lot more water vapor into an assembly than the vapor barrier is stopping.