Do you need warmth when installing a vapor barrier?

[Tovin]

I have just finished insulating the Attefall house and am now going to put up the vapor barrier. It's below zero outside now, so I'm wondering if I need to buy a construction heater or something similar to warm up the house before I put up the plastic

Or is it possible to put up the plastic anyway despite the cold?

 

[fribygg]

I have just finished insulating in the small house and now I am going to install the vapor barrier. It's freezing outside now so I'm wondering if I need to buy a construction heater or something similar to warm up the house before putting up the plastic

Or is it possible to put up the plastic even in the cold?

If you choose plastic, won't you need to have the house heated forever? The cost of a construction heater and the energy for it is likely very small compared to the heating cost for next year or for the coming 10 or 50 years.

 

[surris]

Yes, you need to have heat on, you also need to have ensured the moisture content in the timber before you close it up with plastic. But if the timber hasn't been exposed to any moisture, there shouldn't be any issues.

 

[Matti_75]

No, you don't need to have heat. Just make sure not to enclose damp material.

 

[andersmc]

I have just finished insulating the Attefall house and now need to install the vapor barrier. Since it's below freezing outside, I'm wondering if I need to buy a construction heater or something similar to warm up the house before putting up the plastic

Or is it possible to put up the plastic despite the cold?

No, it's the opposite. You should not have any heat on.

If you start heating the house before you have put up the vapor barrier, you will encounter exactly the situation you want to avoid, which is the reason for having a vapor barrier in the first place. So it's best to put up the vapor barrier when the temperature is consistent throughout all the materials.

 

[surris]

I misunderstood a bit. As mentioned before, you should not turn on the heat before you put up the vapor barrier, but after you have put it up, the heat should be on.

 

[Tovin]

If you choose plastic, you should have the house heated forever, right? It should be a very small cost with a construction heater and its energy compared to the heating cost for next year or for the next 10 or 50 years

That wasn't an answer to the question. The question was if I needed to heat the house now when I put up the plastic.

 

[fribygg]

And the answer is that as soon as you have put up the plastic, you must always keep the construction heated and that the cost of a construction heater and electricity during the construction period is likely to be insignificant compared to the upcoming heating costs.

 

[Tovin]

Regarding the vapor barrier. I would like to tape it to the window. But the ventilator on the window frame is so low that I can barely fit the casing under the ventilation hole.

How would you have done it?

 

[Lutte]

Had walked with the plastic up to the window opening and then taped the plastic under the window all around and then soft sealed around the window so that the soft seal adheres to the window and tape.