Photo: Jill Burrow

What is the difference between a moisture barrier and a vapor barrier?

Moisture barriers function to help in preventing water from entering inside of the wall cavity. On the other hand, vapor barriers basically prevent water vapor from the interior of the house to filter through the wall and condense on the warm side of the insulation.

insulation4us.com - Be sure to use moisture barrier when building your basement

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In the age of ever-increasing utility bills the need to insulate your home is vital in order to achieve maximum energy efficiency and significantly reduce your bills. Home insulation as we all are familiar with provides warmth and keeps the home cozy in the winter months without the need of heaters. They significantly reduce the duration of heater usage and the amount of usage. Going hand in hand with insulation is another thing to consider, installing moisture barriers help to keep your walls dry. This moisture barrier is a barrier which is placed against the basements walls behind the insulation. It plays the vital role of keeping your walls free from moisture and preventing your room from becoming damp. It acts basically by creating a barrier in your wall and repelling any liquid and preventing it from vaporizing which can lead to damp and moist walls. Moisture barriers are relatively cheap to install and the benefits are huge. It plays a role in keeping your home dry. This is especially true for basements and why moisture proofing your basement is so vital. Basements are known to be cool and moist areas of the house due to the lack of air circulation and exposure to sunlight. Moisture in the walls leads to the most common problem which is mildew and growth of mold along with foul smells in the room. Not to mention damp rooms are linked to poor health and issues likethe common cold which can be extremely troublesome especially if you have children or older people in the house. Moisture barriers play a huge role in keeping your basement dry and along with temperature regulation. In short, insulation is a low-cost solution with tons of benefits. There are a variety of materials used as moisture barriers such as spray foam insulation which is the best option to fiberglass insulation batts. The best moisture barrier, however, is rigid foam which is sealed with spray foam around the bottom and corner gaps of the walls. Other options include 6mm poly sheets and exterior wraps like Tyvek. Of course, this should not be confused with vapor barriers. While moisture barriers, like Tyvek, are installed on the exterior of a frame wall on top of the sheathing. Vapor barriers like polyethylene plastic sheathing are installed inside of a frame wall between the studs and the drywall. Moisture barriers function to help in preventing water from entering inside of the wall cavity. On the other hand, vapor barriers basically prevent water vapor from the interior of the house to filter through the wall and condense on the warm side of the insulation. For maximum benefit, both moisture barriers and vapor barriers should be properly installed into the walls of your basement. This is a benefit because by having a moisture barrier on the outer side of the sheathing and a vapor barrier inside the insulation, in the case of the infiltration of vapor into the walls the barrier will allow moisture to escape outside and will also reduce the infiltration of water and vapor into the wall system from outside. This will significantly minimizes the potential for condensation of water at the level of the vapor barrier.

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How thick should Styrofoam insulation be?

Most panels range between 3/8″ and 2.5″ in thickness, though other dimensions and thicknesses are usually available through custom order.

buildwithhalo.com - What You Need to Know About Foam Board Insulation | BuildwithHalo.com

Unless you’re a construction pro, you may be forgiven for thinking that all insulation products are made equal. They’re not.

What Is Foam Board Insulation?

Also known as “rigid “or “continuous”, foam board insulation is made of a dense foam core and maybe laminated on either side. Unlike the fiberglass insulation found in most homes’ stud walls, foam boards provide continuous protection from the elements. Thanks to their density, they typically also have higher R-values per inch. Because of their lightweight, durability, and convenient dimensions of 2’x8′ and 4’x8′, foam boards are simple to use. Most panels range between 3/8″ and 2.5″ in thickness, though other dimensions and thicknesses are usually available through custom order.

Not Your Father’s Rigid Insulation

While rigid panels have kept buildings warm for ages, today’s leading products are not your father’s foam board insulation. Modern foam boards can do a lot more than block heat transfer; they can also control the flow of vapor and moisture and keep the wall cavity dry. By adjusting the combination of laminate and foam core, these panels can be tailor-made to suit almost any building application.