Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Homeowners often ask if a vapor barrier is necessary for optimizing attic insulation and protecting their homes from ...

Imagine a cold, wet, windy day. You can take an umbrella to protect you from the water alone, but that won’t deal with the cold (temperature) or the wind (air convection). You can add in a light ...

Since my column on vapor barriers first appeared, I’ve gotten more reader questions on this topic than on any other that I can remember. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with several experts in the ...

Improper use of vapor barriers is one of the leading causes of moisture-related issues in buildings today. Vapor barriers, or vapor retarders, are designed to prevent wall assemblies from getting wet.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article contained errors in referring to the thickness of vapor barriers, and the article has been updated. A "mil" is a unit of measurement equivalent to ...

Vapor retarders play an important role in controlling water vapor flow and can be a major element in durable building enclosure design. (Note: Although there is some debate in the industry over ...