Use Of Plastic Wall Sheets In Cold Climates

Without a vapor barrier in place condensation inside the walls could ruin the.

Use of plastic wall sheets in cold climates.

For cold temperature applications where heat transfer is a concern it is also important to select a plastic material with. Mit school of engineering room 1 206 77 massachusetts ave. In very cold climates the use of polyethylene plastic vapor barriers between insulation and interior wallboard may be beneficial provided all air gaps into any wall and ceiling cavities are also blocked. The sheet of poly still cuts off drying to the indoors but it keeps the water vapor in the humid indoor air away from the cold surfaces inside the wall.

This same process occurs inside the walls of your home. The humid air is indoors and the dry air is outdoors. Cryogenic biotechnology machinery spaceflight hardware and low temperature physics equipment are sometimes required to operate at extremely cold temperatures. Vapor barriers are sheets of plastic or other material placed on one side of insulation sheets.

In cold weather a sheet of poly on the interior side of a wall probably won t cause any problems. By installing a sheet of poly there you cut off that drying mechanism and water that finds its way into walls can stay there longer and do more damage. This barrier is meant to keep moisture from getting to the insulation in the walls and ceilings and it is required by building codes when insulating most houses. Fiberglass insulation must stay dry to be effective.