Water vapor rising from the ground can get trapped in your crawl space, making it dirty and unhealthy. Vapor barriers are employed to keep the often abandoned crawlway of your home devoid of moisture. Some prominent features of a crawl space vapor barrier are as follows:
• It is simply composed of polythene sheeting.
• The thickness and permeability of vapor barriers can vary.
• It alone is insufficient for providing complete hydro-insulation.
• When used with other waterproofing methods, the efficiency of this method is optimized.
Try to find answers to all frequently asked questions about crawl space waterproofing in this blog post.
What Is the Purpose of Installing a Vapor Barrier?
A vapor barrier primarily serves to minimize the vapor particles permeating into your creep space from the ground. The waterproofing experts install a thick polyethylene (PE) membrane that envelops the walls and pillars of the crawlway. The PE sheeting hinders moisture exchange by acting as an insulator, thereby creating an important barrier. In this way, your creep space stays free from moisture.
What Are the Advantages of Installing a Vapor Barrier?
A vapor barrier is a pocket-friendly solution for restoring your crawl space from water-related damage. It offers numerous benefits:
• It does not allow the vapors to seep into your home.
• A clean crawl space can serve as an additional storage space.
• It discourages pest infestation.
• It deters mold and mildew development.
• It minimizes the risks of structural damage and wood rot.
• It provides clean and easy access to the creep space.
• It extends as an extra layer of insulation.
• It reduces the chances of potential mishaps that could result from the corrosion of electrical components.
How Much Does Vapor Barrier Installation Cost?
The cost of installing a vapor barrier can vary depending on many factors, such as:
• The size of your crawl space.
• Type of material used for insulation.
• Thickness of the material.
• Labor costs
• Location
However, including labor and materials, the vapor barrier installation can cost an average of $2600. The cost of a 1200-square-foot roll of 6 mil polyethylene sheet is approximately 180 dollars, whereas the cost per square foot is around $0.15. On the other hand, a 20-mile barrier costs somewhere between $0.60 per square foot or an average of $425 for a 1200-square-foot roll.
What Materials Can be Used As Vapor Barriers?
The vapor barriers must be able to withstand the worst situations to prove themselves the best. There are different types of vapor barriers:
1. String Reinforced Polyethylene Barrier
Reinforced PE barriers comprise layers of polyethylene sheets glazed together. Some major properties of these barriers include high density, durability, longevity, and value.
2. Unreinforced Polyethylene Barrier
It is a low-density PE barrier without any reinforcements. The film in these barriers is 10 mil thicker than the reinforced barriers. Although the quality is high, but lack of reinforcements reduces the durability.
3. Coated Woven Liners
Barriers endure strength, fabricated from a combination of woven polyethylene ribbons in the center and a 1 mil thick polyethylene coating.
4. Hybrid Woven Liners
The protection of reinforced polyethylene barriers and the strength of coated woven barriers combined, create three times stronger hybrid woven liners.
5. Plasticized Aluminum Liners
These barriers contain coated woven liners mixed with aluminum on one side. They’re highly impervious to water but susceptible to damage during installation. The sheets' impermeability can be affected by many factors.
How Do You Assess the Quality of Vapor Barriers?
The quality of vapor barriers can be assessed in two ways:
1. Thickness:
The thickness of the barrier is measured in mils.
1 mil = 0.025 mm = 0.001 inches
The minimum thickness a material requires to qualify as a vapor barrier is 0.006 inches. Vapor barriers of this thickness are frequently used for insulating residential crawlways. On the contrary, the PE membranes designated for commercial creep spaces should be approximately 0.25 mm thick. It should also be mentioned here that a vapor barrier can have a maximum thickness of 0.50 mm. The barrier’s ability to withstand moisture and puncture increases with its thickness.
2. Permeability:
Permeability is a membrane’s capacity to allow fluid exchange through it. It is usually measured in “perms”. A perm usually refers to the amount of vapors that can pass through any surface in a given time.
↑ Perm Rating ➡↑ Permeability
If you want to use a membrane as a vapor barrier, make sure its permeability is < 0.1 perms.
How Do Experts Install a Vapor Barrier?
Vapor barrier installation is a step-by-step process in which experts perform various tasks from removing the old barrier to laying down a new one and then fixing it.
Step 1:
Assemble the supplies required for installing the barrier. Some necessary installation supplies include:
• High-quality polyethylene barrier
• Tape measure
• Utility knife
• Staple gun
• Personal protective equipment like masks and gloves
Step 2:
Prepare the creep space for barrier installation. Thoroughly clean the crawl space and remove the old barrier.
Step 3:
Cut the vapor barrier according to the dimensions of your crawl space. When cutting the sheet, consider obstacles like pillars or pipes.
Step 4:
Lay the previously cut sheet on the floor of your crawl space and cover the entire floor. Adjust it accordingly to the obstacles and seal it using adhesive tape.
Step 5:
Inspect the vapor barrier thoroughly and fasten the remaining unsecured sections.
Can I Install the Vapor Barrier on My Own?
Yes, you can turn vapor barrier installation into a DIY project. A DIY vapor barrier installation is cost-effective. Installing a 6-mile barrier will only cost you around $140, which is far less than that required for hiring professional crawl space waterproofing services. However, a DIYer may not provide a complete waterproofing solution and often requires a lot of home and effort to accomplish the task due to a lack of expertise. Therefore, hiring experts is always the best option for such projects.
Conclusion
Crawl space waterproofing is necessary to keep your crawlway moisture-free. Vapor barrier installation can be quite helpful in this regard. However, it is only a part of the encapsulation process and does not provide complete insulation. Vapor barriers are usually 6 mils to 20 mils thick sheets of polyethylene that safeguard your crawl space from mold growth, pest infestation, and moisture and also improve energy efficiency. Polyethylene barriers can be enforced or reinforced or combined with some aluminum to improve durability and longevity. The quality of these sheets is determined in terms of thickness (mils) and permeability (perms). Lastly, you can waterproof the crawl space on your own, but hiring professionals is always a good option.
