Pro tip: ignore the guy who says you don't need a vapor barrier in Edmonton basements

My buddy Dave who's been framing houses for 15 years told me a vapor barrier was overkill for my basement reno last fall. I listened to him because he's done this way longer than me. Now I've got moisture stains showing through my drywall after one winter. Has anyone else had a contractor give them bad advice that cost you money to fix?

4 comments

4 Comments

felixlee16d ago

Vapor barrier is code here for a reason, Dave missed the mark on that one. Your climate zone demands it even if some old school guys think otherwise.

the_adam16d ago

Yeah "your climate zone demands it" is exactly right, @felixlee. I had a buddy in 5A who skipped the vapor barrier because his grandpa said it was fine, and three years later he was pulling soggy insulation out of his crawlspace. Mold city. People don't realize that code exists because too many houses got wrecked by guys who thought they knew better. Have you seen what happens when moisture gets trapped behind drywall in a cold climate? It's a nightmare to fix once it starts.

holly_walker7616d ago

Yikes, three years of soggy insulation? That's a long time to live with a mistake like that before finally gutting it.

caleb_ross1216d ago

Grandpa's advice is great for Sunday dinners, not so much for building science. Nothing like trusting someone whose house was built before vapor barriers were a thing and wondering why your walls are growing their own ecosystem. How long did it take before the mold smell became part of the daily routine?