Had to redo my whole basement because I went cheap on vapor barrier

I compared a 6 mil poly from Home Depot to a proper 10 mil Mennie's brand about 2 years back. Figured saving 40 bucks was worth it but after one wet spring the thin stuff tore in three spots behind the drywall. Had to rip out 800 sq ft of insulation and start over just to fix the mold spots. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way or was I just being dumb?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathanj562d ago

Man I used to think thicker vapor barrier was a scam but your story just convinced me otherwise lol.

seth6832d ago

Oh man, I gotta jump in here real quick cause something in your post isn't exactly right. 6 mil poly from Home Depot is usually fine if you install it right, but you gotta tape every seam and staple it tight. The issue isn't always the thickness, it's about getting air pockets and wrinkles that let moisture sneak through. 10 mil is definitely tougher and less likely to tear during installation though. I've used both and the 6 mil held up for me in a dry climate, but if you get heavy spring rains like you mentioned, the thicker stuff is way more forgiving. You weren't dumb, just went with the cheaper option in a situation where it couldn't handle the load. Live and learn right.