Should Bathroom Walls Be Insulated

Bathroom projects need special consideration because of the humidity and moisture that bathrooms generate.

Should bathroom walls be insulated.

Sprayed insulation such as cellulose or foam are usually smarter choices than fiberglass for your bathroom. Because fiberglass tends to be more porous moist air is likelier to flow through it. The insulation behind the tub or shower should be equivalent to the insulation in the rest of the exterior walls and should be covered with an air barrier of cement backer board rigid foam insulation or non paper faced drywall that is sealed at the edges and seams to provide a continuous air seal. Plastic sheeting is used because of its low level of water permeability.

It s usually a thin layer of plastic that sits between the drywall and the studs. It s also a relatively easy option for diyers. The best time to insulate all walls is during new construction but it s possible to add insulation to existing walls without tearing off the drywall. When moisture becomes trapped in walls mold and mildew can grow damaging your home and presenting a potential health danger.

What needs to be insulated. Every gap and compressed batt leaves a path for heat or cold to escape. Place the insulation slabs or batts inside the wall cavity between the studs. But i do somewhat agree that kraft faced insulation is not a good insulation for around showers and the like.

To accomplish this you have to insulate interior walls and hot water pipes to minimize heat loss. By insulating these walls the owners had eliminated enough radiant heat that they d inadvertently reduced room temperatures below the dew point. Properly insulated bathroom reduces energy consumption and saves money. There must a vapor retarder of some sort where walls are insulated in bathroom installations.

In the best case scenario you can insulate the wall behind the shower during initial construction at the same time you insulate the rest of the exterior walls. Install vapor barriers after the bathroom s plumbing electrical and insulation are complete. Another path is foam pipe insulation which will keep pipes warmer during cold months. It s easy to insulate your walls with fiberglass insulation at least when they re open but the job still requires attention to detail to get the maximum benefit.

During this phase the stud spaces. There was a dehumidifier in the space that fell woefully short of handling the huge level of humidity. Insulating interior bathroom walls. Mold will feast off of any kind of paper if it gets wet and stays wet.