Moisture Barrier Brick Walls

Generally speaking for drywall a safe moisture content mc would be less than 1 mc.

Moisture barrier brick walls.

During the energy crisis of the 1970s a prevailing belief took root where it was thought that tightly sealing walls and ceilings with a vapor barrier was essential to blocking heat transference and reducing energy costs it was soon determined however that unless the seal was absolute moisture that did get into sealed walls could create serious structural problems and health issues such as. Above grade exterior walls with semipermeable exterior finishes like brick over oriented strand board sheathing require the placement of an additional vapor barrier on the exterior side of the. A vapor barrier is used on the inside of the insulation not on the outside walls. If there is no visible moisture water problem along the floor next to the brick wall then the current ventilation is working and we probably don t want to alter air flow between the room and the exterior.

Census bureau 2009 statistics more than half of all new homes are clad with absorptive materials such as brick stucco wood fiber cement or stone. When a vapor barrier is on the side of a wall where the dry air is i e outside in winter or inside in summer moisture problems can occur. Moisture is a problem in most climates as air conditioning creates cold air in warmer temperatures. Anything above 1 mc in drywall would indicate a level of moisture that could compromise the integrity of the gypsum board.

It can result in enough trapped moisture to create a. Installing a vapor barrier on the warm interior wall of your cement brick house will prevent condensation and reduce air leakage through your walls and insulation. Solution to a drafty brick wall. If you put plastic a vapor barrier on the brick wall significant amounts of moisture will condense on the inside of the plastic.

These moisture retaining claddings can worsen moisture challenges in the wall cavity. Trapped water can saturate your insulation and. This moisture now a vapor is trying to get through the walls to the exterior. If you install the vapor barrier on the cold side of the insulation i e the inside of the brick you will trap moisture inside the walls and make the moisture problems worse.

The point is to prevent moisture from the living spaces from penetrating into the insulation. A vapor barrier reduces the movement of water vapor by. This can cause two problems. With walls that are intended to absorb some moisture and let it evaporate later spray testing can take some time to allow the wall area to become fully saturated.

Exterior walls may use a variety of materials from wooden siding to vinyl aluminum brick and stone.