The KOVARA® product can be installed in half the time of epoxy moisture barriers. Or storm-prone areas is its ability to maintain its strength, stiffnessĪnd fastener-holding properties even through wetting and dryingįor more information on AdvanTech ® products, visit ® moisture barrier creates value for owners of all types of business and buildings. Reasons builders have chosen AdvanTech subflooring for decades in humid, The best moisture-resistance during construction exposure. Lastly, make sure you’re installing subflooring that will give you If crawlspaces are necessary, consider building over a The movement of moist air which can cause condensation build up in theįirst place. Control the movement of air, and you control Products in the assembly to avoid a double vapor barrier.Īir sealing is critical.
Think of the floor as a full assembly, as opposed to the subfloor andįinished materials as separate parts. Take relative humidity and large temperature swings into consideration. Understand the environments in which you build. Overall, it’s important to keep a few things in mind when it comes to floor systems: Would need insulation that is less permeable than the finish floor, suchĪs closed cell foam used with hardwood flooring. ForĮxample: A home built over a vented crawl space in the Southeast U.S. It is pertinent to take into account the permeance of theįinish floor when designing the system to allow for proper drying. To choose the proper insulation to fit your geography and finishedįloor system. Vented crawl space is to add insulation under the subfloor. One method for limiting condensation build up with the use of a However, vinyl products are vapor barriers, meaning they are impermeable and would not allow for the floor system to dry in both directions. Luxury flooring alternatives like vinyl tile and vinyl planks have gained popularity. How can vapor concerns be addressed? And, what role does finished flooring play?
It’s important to take all components of the flooring system into consideration when determining the most appropriate, and moisture-resistant, flooring assembly for your build. This movement of water vapor from outdoors to indoors-or, inward vapor drive-can cause issues if not properly managed. So, when air flows into a cooler place like a shaded crawl space adjacent to air conditioning, it has the potential to condense on the underside of the subflooring, especially if the home is kept at lower temperatures,” said Vegas. “The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold. In these areas where hot temperatures are paired with prolonged periods of high relative humidity, builders should consider the flow of air-and subsequently humidity-into crawlspaces, floor cavities of stilt-built homes, and even unfinished basements. The summer months in the southeast and other coastal areas can be brutal when it comes to humidity. How is air flowing in and around the structure? As with the wall system, this means managing bulk water, air flow and then vapor. For example, if you are designing or building a home on stilts or with a crawl space, you’ll want to pay extra attention to moisture concerns for the floor system. In certain geographies, like coastal areas, moisture should be an even greater consideration due to the field service conditions of these assemblies. After all, depending on the project location and type of construction, you will experience similar air, moisture and energy movement through the floor system.” “But it can be equally important to think about moisture and vapor control layers with the floor assembly. If I asked you to think about vapor control, it’s likely you would immediately think of the wall assembly, dew points and moisture migration,” said Chris Vegas, AdvanTech ® technology director at Huber Engineered Woods. But as finishing materials become more sophisticated, there may be a need to look down - to the flooring system. Advancements in framing and insulation coupled with a desire to build tighter, more energy efficient, durable homes has created a lot of consideration in evolving wall assemblies.