When to Install a Moisture Barrier in Your Toronto Home | AA Floors

When to Install a Moisture Barrier in Your Toronto Home

Dampness and excess moisture in your home can lead to health problems and damage your property. So how do you protect both your home and family?

Installing a moisture barrier is a simple solution that also saves you tons of money on expensive home repairs.

At AA Floors, we believe the more you know the better, so let’s look at installing a moisture barrier.

Everything You Need to Know When Installing a Moisture Barrier

Water damage is a serious issue that can create serious health risks. Installing a moisture barrier is a great step towards making your home moisture-proof.

Here are some of the most popular moisture-resistant barriers used in construction.

• Plastic sheets
• Builder’s foil
• Gypsum board
• Foam board insulators

When Do You Need a Moisture Barrier?

What is the purpose of a moisture barrier? Is it required? When should I install it?

Moisture damage can cause serious infrastructure problems. The best way to prevent it is to install moisture barriers in areas that are generally prone to moisture, such as basements, crawl spaces, and ceilings.

Moisture barriers are placed underneath the underlayment. You can install it separately or get underlayment with a built-in moisture barrier. We suggest that you hire a professional for this, as it requires thorough knowledge of the products and an assessment of the area in which the barrier is to be installed.

Classification of Vapour Barriers

Perms, also known as permeability, are the units used to measure water vapour. There are essentially three classes of vapour barriers, as follows:

• Class I: These vapour barriers are impermeable, making this the strongest vapour barrier class because it prevents fluid from passing through. Glass, sheet metal, plastic sheeting, and rubber are all examples of Class I vapour barriers.
• Class II: These materials are semi-permeable which means some fluid can move through. Plywoodand expanded or extruded polystyrene are some examples of Class II vapour barriers.
• Class III: These vapour barriers are permeable, meaning water vapour can pass through. Gypsum board, unfaced fiberglass insulation, brick, and concrete blocks, are a few examples of Class III vapour barriers.

Factors That Influence Your Home’s Need for a Moisture Barrier

There are three main factors that determine the need for installing a moisture barrier in your home.

Make sure your moisture barrier is in perfect condition for a successful installation; even the smallest amount of damage will prevent it from working. For the best results, we strongly advise hiring experts. If you are unsure whether you need to protect your floors from moisture, speak with the experts at AA Floors to help you find the best solution. Protecting your floors from moisture can save you a lot of headaches in the long run.

Originally published at https://www.aafloors.ca on April 8, 2023.