A modern insulated and plastic-covered wall seems to be based on the assumption that the room side is typically warmer than the outside.
The outside of the southern wall when the sun is shining this time of year is significantly warmer than the inside. This should lead to condensation on the wrong side of the plastic.
And that's exactly what we see in my neighbor's basement, which is halfway underground. The parts of the wall that protrude above ground have significant condensation behind the plastic. The parts that are underground do not seem to have it to the same extent.
How should one interpret this as a concerned amateur? Suddenly it's not enough to just ensure the plastic is sealed. Are there a lot of other interesting boundary conditions to consider? Say you install free cooling and keep the house at 26 degrees all summer. Will you get condensation in all the walls all summer then?
The outside of the southern wall when the sun is shining this time of year is significantly warmer than the inside. This should lead to condensation on the wrong side of the plastic.
And that's exactly what we see in my neighbor's basement, which is halfway underground. The parts of the wall that protrude above ground have significant condensation behind the plastic. The parts that are underground do not seem to have it to the same extent.
How should one interpret this as a concerned amateur? Suddenly it's not enough to just ensure the plastic is sealed. Are there a lot of other interesting boundary conditions to consider? Say you install free cooling and keep the house at 26 degrees all summer. Will you get condensation in all the walls all summer then?
Grundstött
· Halland
· 28 348 posts
Where is this plastic located? And how do you see the "backside" of it?fiskbuggaren said:
But it's true in our country that only a few hours a day, and very few days a year, is it warmer outside than inside.
On those days, the relative humidity is also quite low.
And RH outside is not affected by showers, slow cooking, dishes, laundry, and drying.
However, I've been told that in Florida, they place the plastic on the outside of the little insulation they have.
(They insulate to keep the heat out, not in like here.)
OT
The worst sunburn I've had was on Lucia Day, 12/13/2001, when I forgot my cap at the hotel.
My bald spot turned bright red, and the skin on my scalp curled
It was in central Florida when we were setting up this beauty

The neighbor had torn down the wall from the inside to run a pipe. Counting from the inside: drywall, plastic, insulation. The plastic in question is transparent, so you can easily see through it.KnockOnWood said:Where is this plastic located? And how do you see the "backside" of it?
But it's like that in our country, where it is only a few hours a day, and very few days a year, when it is warmer outside than inside. During these days, the relative humidity is quite low. And RH outdoors isn't affected by showers, slow cooking, dishwashing, laundry, and drying.
However, I have the impression that in Florida, they place the plastic on the outside of the little insulation they have. (They insulate to keep the heat out, not in as we do.)
OT
The worst sunburn I've gotten was on St. Lucia Day, 12/13/2001, when I had forgotten my cap at the hotel. My bald spot turned bright red, and the skin on my scalp curled up. It was in central Florida when we were rigging this beauty [image]
I wasn't primarily thinking about the outdoor temperature versus the indoor temperature, but specifically inside the wall, where the outer part should be warmer than the inner part.
Nice vessel. Do you have a picture of the bald head?KnockOnWood said:
Grundstött
· Halland
· 28 348 posts
I understand what you mean, and it's an interesting consideration! However, if you view the air inside the wall, enclosed in the insulation, as relatively still, the risk of condensation doesn't increase just because this air heats up. The moisture content remains about the same as long as the temperature on the other side of the plastic sheeting, on the inside, is kept relatively constant.fiskbuggaren said:
But someone with more knowledge of heat, humidity, dew point, etc., should sort out the question
One thought in this context, bearing on your point that the temperature inside the wall is of interest: Today's trend of black/almost black exterior panels on modern-style houses might lead to much higher temperatures inside the wall
Grundstött
· Halland
· 28 348 posts
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