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Foil-backed Plasterboard Vapour control layers are always required whenever you insulate, irrespective of the insulation used. They should be used to form a continuous airtight layer and so all the joints and any penetrations must always be sealed with the appropriate airtightness tapes.

woodfibreinsulation.co.uk - Use of vapour control membranes | Wood Fibre Insulation Course

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In simple terms, a vapour control layer is a layer on the inner face of the building which is used to reduce moisture flow into and through the walls, roof or floor. This is to prevent damaging levels of condensation occurring in the fabric of the building which in turn would cause decay in timber, corrosion in metals or frost damage in masonry. Vapour control layers differ from vapour barriers in that they are designed to slow the flow of moisture and not block it completely, the reason for which we explain below. Vapour control layers are also airtight and generally used as an airtight layer to make buildings airtight.

Understanding your walls, temperatures and condensation

With a plethora of membranes on the market, each designed to do slightly different jobs and behave in a subtly different way it is easy to be confused about which membranes are required to create a dry and airtight building structure. Firstly, starting with the basics, when you insulate walls you create a temperature gradient across them with the warmest being on the inside and coolest on the outside during the winter months. You can imagine a graph of the temperature showing a fairly steady decrease in temperature as you move from the inside to the outside surface of the wall. Secondly, when you take warm, moist air and cool it you find that the moisture in it condenses, usually on to the surfaces of the container it is within. If you pass this same air through the walls of your building the same condensation process occurs but instead of being in a container, it accumulates inside the fabric of your walls, roof or floors or your insulation.

How does moisture affect buildings?

Different construction and insulation materials cope differently with this condensation. Some materials, such as masonry, can absorb and release it again once the weather warms without too much damage. However, when using vapour impervious insulations in timber frame construction, any condensation forming in the walls tends to be absorbed by the timber, a process that can cause rot. Additionally, during the winter months when this condensation tends to occur, driving rain may also enter the fabric of the building, further increasing moisture levels in walls. It is therefore very important to prevent this condensation process occurring in walls, for the longevity of the building.

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