Hello,
We live in a house built in 2020 that we bought almost 2 years ago. The living room was extended with a small addition in 2022. Since I'm now installing an FTX system, I've started making holes to mount air vents and just discovered that it seems like the extension was done without a vapor barrier. Could it be correct that it was done this way?
The extension has a ridge roof perpendicular to the original part, so there is a small vertical wall in line with the former exterior wall where the ridge portion borders the attic. It was a perfect spot to place a supply air vent, but when I dug away the insulation in the attic and made a hole in that wall, there was just an insulation board, OSB, and a drywall. So no vapor barrier, which surprised me quite a bit. I haven't conducted any surgery on the new exterior walls, so it might just be this part that borders the attic, but there should be a diffusion barrier there just like in the ceiling of the original section, right?
Naturally, I am now wondering if this counts as a hidden defect; it's definitely hidden, and it seems like a defect to me. But how serious is it, and what should be done about it?
(It also seems like that extension is starting to settle, as cracks have appeared in the drywall in many places, but that's probably another matter. It was noted during the inspection, but he mentioned that some settling is to be expected and doesn't indicate anything is wrong. However, it seems to be getting worse and worse...)
We live in a house built in 2020 that we bought almost 2 years ago. The living room was extended with a small addition in 2022. Since I'm now installing an FTX system, I've started making holes to mount air vents and just discovered that it seems like the extension was done without a vapor barrier. Could it be correct that it was done this way?
The extension has a ridge roof perpendicular to the original part, so there is a small vertical wall in line with the former exterior wall where the ridge portion borders the attic. It was a perfect spot to place a supply air vent, but when I dug away the insulation in the attic and made a hole in that wall, there was just an insulation board, OSB, and a drywall. So no vapor barrier, which surprised me quite a bit. I haven't conducted any surgery on the new exterior walls, so it might just be this part that borders the attic, but there should be a diffusion barrier there just like in the ceiling of the original section, right?
Naturally, I am now wondering if this counts as a hidden defect; it's definitely hidden, and it seems like a defect to me. But how serious is it, and what should be done about it?
(It also seems like that extension is starting to settle, as cracks have appeared in the drywall in many places, but that's probably another matter. It was noted during the inspection, but he mentioned that some settling is to be expected and doesn't indicate anything is wrong. However, it seems to be getting worse and worse...)
The correct thing is that there is a vapor barrier or vapor retarder along the vaulted ceiling, which follows the small vertical wall section down and is connected to the vapor barrier/retarder of the flat ceiling. If I understand you correctly, you want to go through this small wall and install a vent there, and if it lacks a vapor barrier, then that is incorrect when discussing that year! However, if you mean that you go through this wall further into the insulation in the high ceiling, there shouldn't be any (since it's positioned lower down).
Exactly, from the attic (on top of the vapor barrier to the inner ceiling) through the vertical wall into the room (wall-mounted air vent). I can therefore go from the attic space into the room without passing through a vapor barrier.E egge80 said: