Vapour Barrier Installation Richfield Edmonton

Poly and air sealing in Richfield before the board goes on

A vapour barrier only works as a continuous plane. In Richfield the failures are almost never the sheet itself — they are the electrical boxes, the top and bottom plates, the window returns and the penetrations, where the poly is cut and not resealed.

• Poly on the warm side of the insulation
• Left ready for inspection before boarding
• Seams lapped at framing and sealed, not just taped
• Window and door returns detailed properly
• Rim joists air-sealed before insulating
• Electrical boxes poly-hatted and sealed

Vapour Barrier Installation Richfield Edmonton

Where the barrier meets the ceiling and the floor

Richfield drywall in context

Where poly is the wrong choice

Electrical boxes, the usual failure point

The parts an inspector looks at first

Sealing at the electrical boxes

Seams belong on framing

Simple, clean, on schedule — Vapour Barrier Installation in Richfield Edmonton

Vapour Barrier Installation Richfield Edmonton: your questions answered

Which side does the vapour barrier go on?

The warm side of the insulation. Through an Alberta winter moisture pushes outward from the heated space, and the barrier stops it before it reaches a cold surface where it can condense.

What about outlets on exterior walls?

Each one is a deliberate hole. They need poly hats or airtight boxes sealed to the sheet. Taping poly to the front of an ordinary box does not last once board is fastened over it, and it is the most common leak we find.

What if there is already a vapour barrier in the wall?

We tie into it, and we check whether there is a second one somewhere that would trap moisture between the two. Older Richfield renovations quite often have both, and finding that before boarding is worth the hour.

Is it a problem to have poly on both sides?

Yes. Two barriers trap moisture between them with no direction to dry. It is a real mistake we still find in renovated Richfield walls, and it stays invisible until the damage shows.

Will this pass inspection?

It is built to what the code asks for on your permit, and we leave it visible and sequence to your inspection date rather than boarding ahead. If an inspector raises something, we want the note directly so it is fixed from the actual reason.

Is a basement wall done the same way as an upstairs wall?

No. A basement wall can take moisture from the ground too, so poly detailed like an above-grade wall can trap moisture against the concrete. The insulation is held off the concrete so the wall can dry, with vapour control on the warm side.