The Dangers of Poly Vapor Retarders (and Other Enclosure Ills)

Poly vapor retarders in wall assemblies can trap moisture and cause mildew growth in homes, as evidenced by mold appearing in a 28-unit Midwest townhome development just two years after construction. Proper enclosure design and vapor management are critical to preventing costly moisture-related damage and maintaining building durability.

I was recently called by one of the largest builders in the Midwest to a town home development where mildew growth was appearing in wall corners and near some baseboards along exterior walls. The affected 28 units had been built only about two years ago. In my initial walk-through with the builder,…

This story was originally published by JLC Online.