Insulation and Condensation: Tips for Avoiding a Condensation Problem

Can Insulation Cause Condensation?

When you have an ice-cold glass of water on a warm day, you’ll notice beads of condensation runnings down the sides of the glass. The drops of water form when warm air comes in contact with the cold glass. In the same way, insulation can sometimes cause condensation. Warm air holds moisture and in turn, makes the interior of your building more humid. Then later, when the building cools, the air is cooled and moisture released in the form of condensation. If your home is well ventilated, condensation should just harmlessly evaporate away. Moisture can end up making your insulation moldy, degrade, and lose its effectiveness. If the moisture is allowed to build up, it can even get into cavities if your walls and roof.

Breathable Barriers vs. Vapor Barriers

Depending on your climate, the construction of your home and other conditions, a more breathable insulation option may be right for you. It’s important to work with a trusted contractor who can give you advice on the right product for your home. Vapor permeable barriers allow water vapor to pass through, eliminating the risk of condensation considerably.

Use Thin Insulation in Cavities

When insulating wall cavities, it’s important to allow some space for air. If there isn’t space for air in the cavity, it’s unlikely that the area will stay dry.

Keep it Ventilated

Modern buildings are more air-tight than ever before due to advances in window, door and siding technology. This may seem like a good thing if you’ve just spent money on new windows and doors, but it actually increases the chances of condensation forming. To help counter the problem, make sure that your entire home has a ventilation plan and system in place.

DIY Ventilation

One option that we don’t recommend is some DIY solutions. You can use exhaust fans to help allow cool air inside and prevent your insulation from becoming humid and moist. Opening a window can also help because the outside air is a lot less moist. These solutions can certainly put a bandaid on your condensation issues, but if your problems is more serious, we recommend that you call an insulation professional.

For more information about insulation or having an efficiency audit performed on your home, please feel free to reach out. We can be contacted over the phone at (207) 653-0331 or through our online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you.