Vapour Barrier Installation Wellington Edmonton

Poly and air sealing in Wellington before the board goes on

Alberta winters put a large vapour drive from inside to outside, so the barrier belongs on the warm side of the insulation. Getting the position right matters as much as getting it sealed: a second barrier on the cold side traps moisture in the assembly with no way to dry.

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

Vapour Barrier Installation Wellington Edmonton

Basement walls, where the rules change

Wellington drywall in context

The rim joist and the bottom plate

Never two barriers

Renovations, and meeting an existing barrier

The parts an inspector looks at first

Bathrooms, kitchens and the wet rooms

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

Vapour Barrier Installation Wellington Edmonton: your questions answered

Why is there staining around my window reveals?

Usually the vapour barrier return at the window was torn or tucked rather than sealed. It is a cold junction, so condensation shows there first — often as staining or mould at the reveal.

Does it matter where the sheets overlap?

Yes. A lap must land on solid framing and be sealed with acoustical sealant compressed between layers. An unsupported lap taped across a cavity flexes with pressure changes and works loose.

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 Wellington renovations quite often have both, and finding that before boarding is worth the hour.

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.

Is the vapour barrier the same as an air barrier?

Not by itself. Poly slows vapour diffusion; sealed properly it also slows air, and unsealed it does very little of either. The sealing is what turns a sheet of plastic into a working assembly.

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.