How To Insulate Garage Ceiling Vapor Barrier

I live in mn and am insulating my garage ceiling in an attached garage.

How to insulate garage ceiling vapor barrier. I ve read the articles here and on other sites and it seems like i can t get a final decision. After the insulation is in place you will want to add a vapor retarder sometimes called a vapor barrier if you need one. Once mold starts to grow you ll have to rip out everything and start over again. A vapor barrier is a plastic or foil sheet that helps block moisture from collecting where you don t want it.

You can forego the plastic and use a vapor retarder kraft faced insulation or latex ceiling paint in all other climates except hot humid or hot dry climates. I want to insulate the ceiling in my garage. When the house was built 10 years ago the walls attached to the house were done and the ceiling was drywalled fire code. This garage is located in the north cascades 2000 elevation in washington state with a typical yearly temperature range of 0f 105f.

A vapor retarder is a material used to prevent water vapor from diffusing into the wall ceiling or floor during the cold winter. Insulating an attached garage has some special considerations that you must address differently then a unattached garage. Plastic vapor barriers should only be installed in vented attics in climates with more than 8 000 heating degree days. I m considering insulating and drywalling my garage which already has insulated garage doors.

My main goal is to keep it from getting much below freezing during the winter. The most important issue is that attached garages must have a system in place to keep carbon monoxide co from a running vehicle inside the garage from filtering through the walls and ceiling into the house. I m so confused about vapor barriers. Without it mold and bacteria can form throughout the garage including inside of the insulation.

If you re using old uninsulated doors pick up a retrofit kit that add insulating panels. If you re adding new garage doors be sure to install insulated options. Install as directed typically cutting to fit and using a staple gun to attach the vapor barrier to the studs. Not every wall does.