INSULATION VAPOR BARRIER TO WARM SIDE

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

HEY ALL

just did a 1895 remodel that had radiant heat installed under all upper floors. when i went to basement there was this insulation with wording--VAPOR BARRIER TO WARM SIDE OF HOUSE. as you can see vapor barrier to floor--with radiant heat pipes above insulation. seller showed up and said insulation was installed correctly. i just walk away and said nothing.

the writing on barrier says warm side and it should be covered.

by the way zero permits pulled on anything in house

what do you think

cvf

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

sorry other pictures of radiant system

cvf

[Scott Patterson]

HEY ALL

just did a 1895 remodel that had radiant heat installed under all upper floors. when i went to basement there was this insulation with wording--VAPOR BARRIER TO WARM SIDE OF HOUSE. as you can see vapor barrier to floor--with radiant heat pipes above insulation. seller showed up and said insulation was installed correctly. i just walk away and said nothing.

the writing on barrier says warm side and it should be covered.

by the way zero permits pulled on anything in house

what do you think

cvf

It also says somewhere on the Kraft paper facing that it is a fire hazard to have it exposed! Turn the insulation over so the paper is not exposed.

[Jerry Peck]

just did a 1895 remodel ...

Hmmmm, the insulation says it was manufactured in 2009 ... :D

As Scott says:

It also says somewhere on the Kraft paper facing that it is a fire hazard to have it exposed! Turn the insulation over so the paper is not exposed.

But also (in addition to turning it over) make sure the insulation's is installed up in contact with the underside of the subfloor above.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

JP

house was redone all over--and no permits pulled--great. the insulation is installed over the radiant heat tubes in second picture and above the insulation is the radiant heat panels-so only place to secure would be staples on floor joists--but it needs to be turned over and that is what i thought and you and scott answered. don't you just love flippers

cvf

[Jerry Peck]

JP

house was redone all over--and no permits pulled--great. the insulation is installed over the radiant heat tubes in second picture and above the insulation is the radiant heat panels-so only place to secure would be staples on floor joists--but it needs to be turned over and that is what i thought and you and scott answered. don't you just love flippers

cvf

Nonetheless, though, the insulation needs to be raised up when it is turned over and installed such that the facing is in contact with (in this case the radiant heat panels) above the insulation.

Leaving the insulation down and not in contact with the material above the insulation is no different than leaving the insulation installed downside up (upside down for some :) ) as both will allow a fire to race across the exposed facing. All the 'in contact with' the building material above does is place the facing 'in contact with' a material which will not allow a fire to burn across the facing, the material the facing is in contact with will snuff the fire out (so to speak).

[Steven Turetsky]

I don't see any bleeder valves on the heating loops.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

STEVE

this is a new system to me--did see some bleeders--but told client--get a hvac person in here to test system and teach teach him how to operate--i've seen many radiat systems--but this one is a first

cvf

[Jim Robinson]

Normally, with in floor heating the insulation has a foil vapor barrier, so it can help to reflect the heat back up. Was it a staple up system or embedded in gypcrete? I agree with you on the vapor barrier issue, and would call it out. We all know how much stock to put in what the seller says about it.

[Michael Thomas]

H

what do you think



WRT fire hazards and reversed vapor barriers, you are welcome to reference (for use in reports) and/or link to:

Paper and foil faced insulation fire hazards / reversed vapor barriers FAQ - Paragon Home Inspections Chicago / Skokie ' Evanston IL (http://paragoninspects.com/articles/pdfs/insulation/paper-facing-fire-hazards/insulation-exposed-face-reversed-vr.pdf)

[Randy Mayo]

Charlie

I has a house with the insulation upside down that trapped moisture between the insulation and sub-floor causing a mold issue. The insulation in this house had been in place for several years so your house may look like this in a few years.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

MICHAEL

great link will use it

thanks

cvf