Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Moisture barrier with fire blocking
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gwseel
10-08-05, 01:01 AM
Need Advice:
My basement is fully framed but has no electrical, plumbing, or insulation yet. The stud walls are about an inch from the foundation walls on average. Two years ago when I started this (I don't get much time to work on it) I investigated moisture barriers but found conflicting advice. So I threw up my hands and proceded with the stud walls. I have a very dry basement, though the sump pump runs alot when it rains. I found this site and thought the idea of tacking six mil plastic to the sill plate as a moisture barrier sounded still doable. (Though I wondered, doesn't moisture seep in from the outside, collect behind the plastic, and produce mold?) Then I found out that as of the first of the year, my city requires fire blocking. Top and bottom of all outside walls and horizontally every ten feet. It seems to me that a sheet of plastic hung from the sill plate might provide a channel for a fire right past the fire blocking. Which at the top of the walls will probably consist of some rock wool. So my question is: Is that still a viable way to go? Do I really need a moisture barrier? I was planning on putting the paper backed fiberglass between the studs for insulation. Is that enough of a vapor barrier? :confused: (I live in the St. Louis Missouri area, hot humid summers, occasional days below zero in the winter)
My basement is fully framed but has no electrical, plumbing, or insulation yet. The stud walls are about an inch from the foundation walls on average. Two years ago when I started this (I don't get much time to work on it) I investigated moisture barriers but found conflicting advice. So I threw up my hands and proceded with the stud walls. I have a very dry basement, though the sump pump runs alot when it rains. I found this site and thought the idea of tacking six mil plastic to the sill plate as a moisture barrier sounded still doable. (Though I wondered, doesn't moisture seep in from the outside, collect behind the plastic, and produce mold?) Then I found out that as of the first of the year, my city requires fire blocking. Top and bottom of all outside walls and horizontally every ten feet. It seems to me that a sheet of plastic hung from the sill plate might provide a channel for a fire right past the fire blocking. Which at the top of the walls will probably consist of some rock wool. So my question is: Is that still a viable way to go? Do I really need a moisture barrier? I was planning on putting the paper backed fiberglass between the studs for insulation. Is that enough of a vapor barrier? :confused: (I live in the St. Louis Missouri area, hot humid summers, occasional days below zero in the winter)