Attic insulation Q in existing structure. No vapour barrier.
 

I recently took over a house built in the 1980's during a building boom.
The quality of workmanship is poor. I was inspecting a part of the attic
which, up to now, was inaccessable. The builder forgot to put in
insulation!!! The heat escapes right through the plaster board ceiling and
out the house.

The ceiling plasterboards are nailed directly to the ceiling joists with no
vapour barrier installed. I'd like to insulate this attic space but can't
fathom how to apply a continuous vapour barrier to the existing structure
without ripping down all the ceilings involved. I've seen home renovation
programs like (Bob Vills'a Home Again and other similar programs) where
professionals spray an expanding insulation product, Polyicynene I think,
into new construction cavities without first applying a vapour barrier. Is
this a good way of getting the existing structure covered in a
moisture-proof barrier? Can I follow up the Polyicynene application with a
blown loose-fill cellulose or fibreglass batting insulation for greater
R-value and not worry about moisture problems like mould?

"Robert MacKinnon" wrote in message
...
I recently took over a house built in the 1980's during a building boom.
The quality of workmanship is poor. I was inspecting a part of the attic
which, up to now, was inaccessable. The builder forgot to put in
insulation!!! The heat escapes right through the plaster board ceiling and
out the house.

The ceiling plasterboards are nailed directly to the ceiling joists with
no
vapour barrier installed. I'd like to insulate this attic space but can't
fathom how to apply a continuous vapour barrier to the existing structure
without ripping down all the ceilings involved. I've seen home renovation
programs like (Bob Vills'a Home Again and other similar programs) where
professionals spray an expanding insulation product, Polyicynene I think,
into new construction cavities without first applying a vapour barrier.
Is
this a good way of getting the existing structure covered in a
moisture-proof barrier? Can I follow up the Polyicynene application with
a
blown loose-fill cellulose or fibreglass batting insulation for greater
R-value and not worry about moisture problems like mould?


My home was built in 1999. The ceiling construction is the very same. Most
of the homes in the western US are built this way.

I have cellulose and so have all of my homes in the last 30 years. I am no
expert but I would think that the vapor barrier would be important in the
walls not the ceiling.

On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 15:04:06 -0500, "Robert MacKinnon"
wrote:

I recently took over a house built in the 1980's during a building boom.
The quality of workmanship is poor. I was inspecting a part of the attic
which, up to now, was inaccessable. The builder forgot to put in
insulation!!! The heat escapes right through the plaster board ceiling and
out the house.

The ceiling plasterboards are nailed directly to the ceiling joists with no
vapour barrier installed. I'd like to insulate this attic space but can't
fathom how to apply a continuous vapour barrier to the existing structure
without ripping down all the ceilings involved. I've seen home renovation
programs like (Bob Vills'a Home Again and other similar programs) where
professionals spray an expanding insulation product, Polyicynene I think,
into new construction cavities without first applying a vapour barrier. Is
this a good way of getting the existing structure covered in a
moisture-proof barrier? Can I follow up the Polyicynene application with a
blown loose-fill cellulose or fibreglass batting insulation for greater
R-value and not worry about moisture problems like mould?



I have blown in fiberglass insulation. No vapor barrer. I was
concerned so I did some research, there are those for and against
vapor barrers when the attic is a free air space like I have. since
the attic is a free air space, the idea is that the vapor will migrate
slowly upward and out the house. If I had a vapor barrer some say it
will cause the ceiling rock to collect water and sag over time.

So, this is what I actually did. I bought cans of BIN and painted my
ceilings. Now the rock can't absorb mosture, and I have a vapor
barrer.

hth,

tom @ www.WorkAtHomePlans.com

Sorry, Tom, what is BIN? This is a product i've not heard of before.

wrote in message
...
So, this is what I actually did. I bought cans of BIN and painted my
ceilings. Now the rock can't absorb mosture, and I have a vapor
barrer.

Sorry, Tom, what is BIN? This is a product i've not heard of before.

wrote in message
...
So, this is what I actually did. I bought cans of BIN and painted my
ceilings. Now the rock can't absorb mosture, and I have a vapor
barrer.

On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 22:45:21 -0500, "Robert MacKinnon"
wrote:

Sorry, Tom, what is BIN? This is a product i've not heard of before.


Here's the product page: http://www.chopurl.com?449

hth,

tom @ www.BookmarkAdmin.com


wrote in message
.. .
So, this is what I actually did. I bought cans of BIN and painted my
ceilings. Now the rock can't absorb mosture, and I have a vapor
barrer.

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 22:45:21 -0500, "Robert MacKinnon"
wrote:

Sorry, Tom, what is BIN? This is a product i've not heard of before.


Here's the product page: http://www.chopurl.com?449

hth,

tom @ www.BookmarkAdmin.com


wrote in message
.. .
So, this is what I actually did. I bought cans of BIN and painted my
ceilings. Now the rock can't absorb mosture, and I have a vapor
barrer.


That agrees with what I read somewhere, many years ago; that certain types
of paint, presumably what are called "Oil paint", can act as something of a
vapour barrier. I recall that did not include latex/water soluble/based
paints?

In a cool damp climate a vapour barrier IS required in all walls and
ceilings; to minimize warmed (and therefore moisture bearing) house air
percolating into the roof space and condensing up there. However without a
vapour barrier I guess the important point is to make sure that the attic
airspace is very thoroughly ventilated?

Roof space venting, in this jurisdiction, for example, is a minimum of three
(3) square feet per one thousand (1000) sq. ft. of ceiling area and that it
" ... be distributed around the perimeter to ensure cross ventilation and
removal of damp air".

To this house we added, under a government sponsored residential energy
conservation scheme, some 25 years ago, an additional several inches of
blown in insulation, on top of the original six inch glass wool batts;
making sure it did block the additional soffit ventilation vents. Then later
we covered up some of the 1970s style ceiling tile ceilings from below with
plasterboard adding one inch of styrofoam on the warm side of the
insulation. (There are guidelines for putting additional insulation 'inside'
a vapour barrier, in this climate).

With attention to ventilation winter and summer (30+ years) we appear to not
have mildew or other problems in our very low slope roof space. Adding that
this fairly windy climate helps; so, while I've considered and even have a
suitable fan on hand it has not been necessary to use power ventilation of
the roof space.

Terry.

I have blown in fiberglass insulation. No vapor barrer. I was
concerned so I did some research, there are those for and against
vapor barrers when the attic is a free air space like I have. since
the attic is a free air space, the idea is that the vapor will migrate
slowly upward and out the house. If I had a vapor barrer some say it
will cause the ceiling rock to collect water and sag over time.

So, this is what I actually did. I bought cans of BIN and painted my
ceilings. Now the rock can't absorb mosture, and I have a vapor
barrer.



I didn't realize that BIN, which is basically shellac, had vapor barrier
properties. Benjamin Moore makes a wallboard primer that is specfically
made to be a vapor barrier.


http://www.benjaminmoore.com/tds/1033/TDS260B.pdf