I bought a house that the inspector said I need to put in plastic in the crawl space to help the insulation. There is a 3 foot gap between the dirt and the house above. But my friend who builds houses said I do not need it because of the gap above the dirt floor to the house wood above. Do you think I should lay down plastic for better insultation?
2006-10-01 08:51:45 · 6 answers · asked by Lighthearted 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
your buddy is right. Moisture is not going to come from the ground and jump three feet. Even if you did need it, there is no way in heck you could cover the whole area effectively. 99.999.999% of inspectors are trying to make sure they aren't sued for failure to cover something, so they go overboard. Realtors commonly refer to inspectors as "deal breakers"!
2006-10-01 09:02:22 · answer #1 · answered by T C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The plastic is to keep moisture from migrating up into the framing of your house and causing all kinds of problems from rot, to mold and peeling paint. It doesn't matter if it's 3 feet or 10 feet, unless the house is on stilts. If water collects on top of the plastic the vapor barrier isn't installed properly or water is coming from another source and that needs to be remedied.
2006-10-01 09:01:50 · answer #2 · answered by Steven K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Listen to the contractor. The plastic sheeting is a moisture barrier blocking moisture from rising up and diminishing your insulation value as well as retarding the effect of moisture on your joists and flooring. Lay the thickest plastic you can find. They usually use black, but I don't know why unless it stops fungi, mold, and mildew from growing in low light environements.
2006-10-01 08:57:16 · answer #3 · answered by Scott K 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
plastic is used as a vapor barrier.if there is no insulation on the floor then some should be put there.after putting the insulation between the floor joists,if no paper backing is on the insulation you use or that is already there,then you should put up plastic over the insulation to act as a vapor barrier.i am not sure if this is code in your area,but it sure doesn't hurt to have it up.
2006-10-01 08:53:45 · answer #4 · answered by jitterbugjims 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We had a moble home and the inspector told us the same thing, but if water gets on top of the plastic and can't sink into the earth it will cause other problems. I wouldn't do it.
2006-10-01 08:58:51 · answer #5 · answered by Rudolph'sGrandma 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the plastic keeps moisture problems to a minimum. Also it deters pests and keeps your home cleaner.
2006-10-01 09:14:12 · answer #6 · answered by carolinatinpan 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋