Which way should the fiberglass insulation face?
Hi Kim, Regardless of whether fiberglass insulation is installed in a wall, attic, or crawlspace; the paper facing should always face toward the inside of the home. That’s because the paper contains a layer of asphalt adhesive which prevents water vapor from passing through it.
Which side of the insulation should the paper face be on?
Most paper-faced insulation must have the paper in contact with the subfloor or wall finish. This should be printed on the paper face of the insulation. IRC R302.10.1
Which side does the paper face in the winter?
I have always heard that the paper (barrier) is supposed to face the warm side in the winter which would be the floor side in climate zone 5. Someone has installed the insulation with the paper facing the crawl space side.
How do you cut paper to size for insulation?
Place the insulation with the facing side down on a piece of scrap plywood. Set a T-square or metal straightedge over the insulation and press it down firmly. Cut along the edge of the square with a utility knife, cutting through the insulation material and the paper facing.
Why doesn't it matter kraft paper?
Why doesn’t it matter? First, the kraft paper is a vapor retarder meant to reduce the potential for moisture problems caused by diffusion. Sounds like a good idea, but the vast majority of moisture problems are caused by air leakage, not diffusion, even in places like Maine.
Can you put kraft paper on the wrong side?
The upshot here is that If you put the kraft paper on the wrong side and it gets wet, it won’t trap moisture. The wetter it gets, the better it dries. If you put it on the right side, where the humidity is, it’s not much of a vapor retarder. Also on the graph is the permeance of polyethylene.
Can you put vapor retarder on a wall?
The warm-in-winter suggestion says that if you’re trying to limit the diffusion of water vapor, put the vapor retarder on the humid side of the wall, where…uh…it’s not able to retard much vapor. In a really, really cold climate, it may matter, but even in Maine and Ontario, vapor retarder paint would be a better way to go.
Does it matter which way kraft paper faces?
In the vast majority of applications, it doesn't really matter which way the kraft paper faces. Because the permeance of kraft paper is variable, you can face it anyway you want. In the vast majority of applications, it doesn't really matter which way the kraft paper faces.
Does kraft paper trap moisture?
The upshot here is that if you put the kraft paper on the wrong side and it gets wet, it won’t trap moisture. The wetter it gets, the better it dries. If you put it on the right side, where the humidity is, it’s not much of a vapor retarder, because that’s where it becomes vapor-permeable.
Is Kraft paper vapor permeable?
Because the permeance of kraft paper is variable, you can face it anyway you want. Image Credit: Energy Vanguard Permeance vs. relative humidity for asphalt-coated kraft paper, showing that it does retard vapor when the relative humidity is low but is vapor permeable when conditions are wet.
How Should Insulation be Installed in a Crawl Space?
You should install your insulation with the paper part facing the floor and the insulation part facing back towards you. It’s not as easy as just shoving insulation into a joist space, however, and there are some things you should keep in mind when installing it.
What Happens if Insulation is Installed Backward?
The big issue with installing insulation backward is that the paper portion acts as a barrier that doesn’t allow air to escape the insulation. Moisture from humidity in the air can get trapped inside the insulation. The paper then acts as a barrier and doesn’t allow it to escape. The trapped moisture will sit and rot inside of the insulation and eventually cause mold to form.
What is the Best Insulation for a Crawl Space?
When it comes to choosing the right insulation for your crawl space, you have several options at your disposal. We’ve mostly talked about faced insulation , where one side has a paper vapor barrier, and the other is insulation. Let’s look at a few different options you have.
Which side is paper on heating degree days?
Dec 5, 2019. #6. Where heating degree days are higher, paper always to the warm side. In moist humid climates (think more cooling degree days) paper to the outside and again, the warm side... Remember, moisture moves from areas of high concentration to areas of low.
Is FSK a barrier?
Be aware that Foil Scrim Paper (FSK) is not an equivalent approved barrier in leiu of "ceiling, floor or wall finish" that are listed in chapters 5 & 7.#N#R302.10.1 Insulation. Insulation materials, including facings, such as vapor retarders and vapor-permeable membranes installed within floor-ceiling assemblies, roof-ceiling assemblies, wall assemblies, crawl spaces and attics shall have a flame spread index not to exceed 25 with an accompanying smoke-developed index not to exceed 450 when tested in accordance with ASTM E 84 or UL 723.#N#Exceptions:#N#1. When such materials are installed in concealed spaces, the flame spread index and smoke-developed index limitations do not apply to the facings, provided that the facing is installed in substantial contact with the unexposed surface of the ceiling, floor or wall finish.
When insulating a ceiling, should the paper side face down?
For example, when insulating a ceiling, the paper side should face down and not up. When insulating an exterior wall, the paper side will be to the interior with the drywall installed against the paper.
How is unfaced insulation held in place?
Unfaced insulation is held into place by the pressure or friction fit in joints and rafters when installing it .
What is face insulation?
Faced Insulation is fiberglass insulation with a kraft paper vapor barrier on one side. It’s stapled into place with the paper side facing the interior of the home. Unfaced insulation has no kraft paper vapor barrier attached to it and is held into place by pressure or friction.
Why is it important to insulate your home?
Home Insulation promotes comfort. Whether you need it or not is an important question, but insulating your home is one of the most important investments in home construction.
Why is sound insulation used in a room?
Insulation also involves sound. The interior of a room is installed with a soundproof material to minimize sound from coming in and getting out.
What is the impact of climatic conditions on the choice of vapor fabric?
The climatic condition of the region a person resides in has a significant impact on the choice of Vapor Fabric to use and where to install the Vapor material, e.g., whether to install it on the outer or the inner walls.
What is a facing in a building?
A facing, therefore, is a material that is attached to the fiberglass insulator/insulation meant to help control the effects of vapor or moisture on the fabric of the building.
Where is faced insulation installed?
For this reason, faced insulation is typically installed on the "warm in winter" side of the wall. In other words, the facing usually faces in toward the living space (or into the attic or basement area, in unfinished attics and basements).
What is Kraft face insulation?
Kraft-faced, or paper-faced, insulation comes in batts and long rolls. The batts are precut to fit into cavities on standard 8-foot-high walls. Roll insulation is best for floors, ceilings, and roofs with a long joist or rafter bays and for tall walls.
What is the purpose of a facing on a wall?
The Purpose of Insulation Facing. The facing on kraft-faced insulation is made of kraft paper with an asphalt coating that makes the paper impermeable to water vapor. The paper creates a vapor barrier that helps keep the water vapor in the warm, moist, heated indoor air from migrating outward into the wall or other structure.
What is the tab on a wood frame?
The facing has a tab (called a flange) running along each side edge of the insulation. When installing the insulation in wood-frame structures, you fold out the flange and staple it to the side (or front edge) of the framing to secure the insulation. Kraft-faced insulation also can be simply friction-fit into the framing cavities ...
Does insulation add heat to a room?
It is a popular misunderstanding that insulation adds heat to an insulated space. In reality, all it does is slow the migration of heat from the warm side of the insulation to the cold side. The R-value of kraft-faced insulation typically is printed on the kraft paper facing.
Can faced insulation be installed on a wood frame?
In very humid climates, building codes may not allow faced insulation at all. The basic installation steps are the same for walls, ceilings, floors, and roofs in wood-frame houses: Cut the insulation roll or batt to fit the length of the framing cavity, if necessary. Place the insulation with the facing side down on a piece of scrap plywood.
Do you staple insulation flanges?
Codes in some areas may require you to staple the insulation flanges on the front (exposed) side of the framing to create a continuous vapor barrier.
