Home House & Components Parts of House Insulation

Updated: Jul. 20, 2021

Use plastic sheeting to control moisture in your crawlspace.

Family Handyman

This article will show you how to add 6 mil plastic sheeting on the ground and insulate the walls in your crawlspace. We use foil-faced rigid insulation to keep the space under the house dry. The plastic and the insulation will eliminate any moisture problems you have in the crawlspace, such as water droplets collecting on the concrete walls and pipes.

By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine

You might also like: TBD

Time A full day Complexity Intermediate Cost $101–250

Damp crawlspace solution: Polyethylene vapor barrier

If you have water collecting on the pipes and concrete walls in your crawlspace, then you’re experiencing a common problem. The ventilation openings were designed to flush out moisture from crawlspaces, but they often don’t do the job, except in dry climates. In fact, during humid summer conditions, they often make matters worse. The humid air carries moisture that condenses on the cool walls, the pipes and even the underside of floors.

The best solution is to completely close up the vents (or omit them in new construction) and control crawlspace moisture in other ways. The photo illustrates several key concepts. However, local and regional conditions vary and the exact details of this system may not work in every crawlspace. Make sure to get approval from your local building inspector before taking any steps.

Create good drainage around your home to keep rainwater from flowing in under your house. Sloping the soil away from your home at about 1/2 in. per foot is usually the best thing you can do to reduce crawlspace moisture.

Cover the dirt crawlspace with a plastic moisture polyethylene vapor barrier. Overlap any seams and tape them. And bring the plastic about 6 in. up the wall and fasten it there. Stake the plastic down with landscape fabric stakes to keep it in place. Chances are that someone will have to slide around in the crawlspace later to fix a pipe or run a new cable. A few holes won’t make any difference in performance, and they’ll drain puddles if heavy rain or leaky pipe leaves water on the plastic.

Cover exposed foundation walls with 1-1/2 in. of rigid, moisture-proof insulation. This not only insulates the walls but also keeps rising dampness in the concrete from getting into the crawlspace. We used Thermax brand (available through lumberyards) of polyethylene vapor barrier because it doesn’t require an additional fire barrier. Other types may require drywall covering.

Insulate the rim joists. We used rigid insulation and caulked it in place to stop air leaks.

Cap the interior of the foundation wall with a 6-mil layer of plastic and galvanized flashing both to block moisture and to serve as a termite barrier. There is no sure solution for termites; building codes may require different details for termite control in your region.

Required Tools for this polyethylene vapor barrier Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY vapor barrier project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.

Required Materials for this polyethylene vapor barrier Project

Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.

Originally Published: May 29, 2019

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7p63MoqOyoJGjsbq5wKdlnKedZL2zu8memq1nmKTEbsDOZqCnq6SWua15wGatmqifp3qjrdGroJ6qXZ67bsDHnmScqpGsubS8wJycaA%3D%3D