What Type Of Insulation To Use Behind Shower Walls

Install insulation in wall cavities.

What type of insulation to use behind shower walls.

Insulating interior bathroom walls. In the best case scenario you can insulate the wall behind the shower during initial construction at the same time you insulate the rest of the exterior walls. Mark the location of the tub flange on the solid blocking. With this in mind i should be able to just choose some insulation and then plop it in when i have the wall torn down.

Bathroom projects need special consideration because of the humidity and moisture that bathrooms generate. 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. Place the insulation slabs or batts inside the wall cavity between the studs. Measure back from the tub flange about 2 inches to mark the outside edge of the air barrier.

Of course just because you use a barrier doesn t mean that throwing it together especially with scraps will work or pass inspection failed a good example of a shower air barrier as for the insulation well passed after the insulator fixed that area when they did the rest of the house a good example of a tub. The insulation behind the tub or shower should be equivalent to the insulation in the rest of the exterior walls and should be covered with an air barrier of cement backer board rigid foam insulation or non paper faced drywall that is sealed at the edges and seams to provide a continuous air seal. Run a bead of sealant along the perimeter of the air barrier sheet on the framing. I live in a hot mixed humid climate most new homes here have brick veneer cladding most of us know better than to use a vapor barrier on the interior.

When moisture becomes trapped in walls mold and mildew can grow damaging your home and presenting a potential health danger. In this case rick is using 1 4 inch luan plywood as an air barrier. Back venting shower walls thank you scott another nice blog article. This wall is the back of the shower opposite from where the water supply lines are.

Insulation decreases the amount of heat entering from outside when it s hot and traps warmth inside when it s cold. R value measures how resistant types of insulation are to heat flow. R values vary based on the type thickness and density of the insulation material. Use the discarded material to fill gaps nooks and crannies.

Proper insulation will help keep your bathrooms a comfortable temperature year round.