How To Insulate An Exterior Wall In A Bathroom

Liquid barriers may also be used to prevent moisture from getting into the walls.

How to insulate an exterior wall in a bathroom.

In an older home there s a good chance that no one insulated the exterior wall before installing the shower. Place the insulation slabs or batts inside the wall cavity between the studs. When moisture becomes trapped in walls mold and mildew can grow damaging your home and presenting a potential health danger. Handy homeowners can rent an insulation blower.

Use special airtight electrical boxes see photo tip 5 or seal the poly to the electrical box with acoustical sealant. They are painted on surfaces and form a waterproof seal over drywall. That will reduce its r value. Proper insulation will help keep your bathrooms a comfortable temperature year round.

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. Press the poly into the sealant. Tuck the insulation into the cavity snug against the top of the stud bay and edges flush with the studs. Add soundproofing to add soundproofing weave a continuous roll of fiberglass insulation between staggered studs using insulation designed for 2x4 walls.

Buy unfaced friction fit batts and seal the walls with a 4 mil poly vapor retarder. Seal the gap between the bottom plate of the wall and the floor with acoustical sealant or caulk. For an accurate fit against the bottom of the cavity let the insulation run long then cut it against the bottom plate of the wall framing with your utility knife. The batt should not be tightly compressed against the studs.

There are two ways to fix this problem. Install vapor barriers after the bathroom s plumbing electrical and insulation are complete.