Vapor barriers are an important part of insulation and help to prevent heat loss from your home or garage. Any tiny holes, cracks, or improperly caulked joints can cause precious heat to leak and vapor barriers create an airtight seal between the warm indoor air and the cold air outside. This will help keep your heating costs down by improving the energy efficiency of your heating system. Proper control of moisture within your walls is also important for your health, and the health of your home.
Because warm air is attracted to cold air and carries more moisture, whenever they meet they will create condensation. This condensation can cause moisture buildup in your walls where is may be absorbed by the insulation and cause pockets of dampness which can lead to rot and cause serious damage to the structure of your home. This condensation can also cause outbreaks of dangerous molds which may be detrimental to your health.
Methods Of Insulation
The traditional method of insulating a garage involves installing fiberglass batt insulation in the walls an attic spaces followed by a 6 mm poly air/vapor barrier and then drywall. It is essential to remember that the vapor barrier layer must be completely sealed before installing the drywall. Joints and staple holes should be covered with special tuck tape meant for creating airtight seals.
This is the most cost-effective, most common, and easiest way to insulate a garage but it has its downsides. For one thing, these materials are not completely water-resistant. If the drywall and vapor barrier are damaged then the gypsum core will follow and the entire structure of your garage may sustain water damage and begin to rot from the inside out. Furthermore, fiberglass insulation can absorb a significant amount of water, preventing wet framing from drying and enhancing the risk of rot.
Getting Better Protection
For superior protection against water damage to the sheathing and frame of your garage, you may wish to consider using a moisture-resistant insulation such as blown-in high-density polyurethane or extruded polystyrene sheathing. These have a much higher cost for materials and installation but will provide a larger degree of protection against any potential moisture.
Blown-in high-density polyurethane must be installed by a professional as the materials and equipment provided cannot be rented by the average DIYer. Extruded sheathing, on the other hand, is very rigid and must be cut extremely precisely but it can be a reasonable alternative to the high cost of foam and the potential problems with fiberglass for someone skilled at home repair.
While working on your garage organization the attic of your garage can be treated with less expensive materials than the walls unless you are worried about rodent infestations or you want to create a vaulted ceiling. All you will require to protect your ceiling is fiberglass insulation and a poly air/vapor barrier to keep the moisture out of the insulation.
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