What Type Of Insulation To Use Behind Shower Walls

Bathroom projects need special consideration because of the humidity and moisture that bathrooms generate.

What type of insulation to use behind shower walls.

Run a bead of sealant along the perimeter of the air barrier sheet on the framing. Insulating interior bathroom walls. This wall is the back of the shower opposite from where the water supply lines are. There has been some discussion about back venting cabinets and mirrors adjacent to exterior walls.

With this in mind i should be able to just choose some insulation and then plop it in when i have the wall torn down. In this case rick is using 1 4 inch luan plywood as an air barrier. Mark the location of the tub flange on the solid blocking. Of course just because you use a barrier doesn t mean that throwing it together especially with scraps will work or pass inspection failed a good example of a shower air barrier as for the insulation well passed after the insulator fixed that area when they did the rest of the house a good example of a tub.

Back venting shower walls thank you scott another nice blog article. Proper insulation will help keep your bathrooms a comfortable temperature year round. Insulation is rated by its r value. In the best case scenario you can insulate the wall behind the shower during initial construction at the same time you insulate the rest of the exterior walls.

When moisture becomes trapped in walls mold and mildew can grow damaging your home and presenting a potential health danger. Place the insulation slabs or batts inside the wall cavity between the studs. Measure back from the tub flange about 2 inches to mark the outside edge of the air barrier. I live in a hot mixed humid climate most new homes here have brick veneer cladding most of us know better than to use a vapor barrier on the interior.

The insulation behind the tub or shower should be equivalent to the insulation in the rest of the exterior walls and should be covered with an air barrier of cement backer board rigid foam insulation or non paper faced drywall that is sealed at the edges and seams to provide a continuous air seal. R value measures how resistant types of insulation are to heat flow. R values vary based on the type thickness and density of the insulation material. Insulation decreases the amount of heat entering from outside when it s hot and traps warmth inside when it s cold.

If the whole batt cannot fit inside the cavity cut off the excess material with a scalpel knife leaving a couple of centimeters over on each side to ensure a tight fit.