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Vapor barrier / retarder in wall between attached garage and house, zone 4A?

BrunoF | Posted in General Questions on

I am in central North Carolina (mixed humid) and noticed that the insulation crew installed unfaced batts in the shared wall between my garage and house.  For the rest of the house, I have siding, house wrap, OSB (taped and sealed), fiberglass then drywall for my assembly.  in this shared wall however, I will not have any OSB, siding or housewrap; just drywall on both sides and insulation in the middle.

Is this an acceptable assembly or should I have a vapor retarder / barrier in that shared wall?

Thanks!

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Replies

  1. Eric_U | | #1

    I'm not a builder (sort of) but I would not want the risk of car exhaust getting into my house. The barndominium I'm building myself right now as two technically-interior walls that I'm treating as exterior for the same reason. We're talking sheathing, tape, and even spray foam to make sure I'm good to go. Then I'll just put a piece of drywall on that

  2. Expert Member
    MALCOLM TAYLOR | | #2

    BrinoF,

    My reading of the IRC is that a class 2 or 3 vapour retarder is required in climate zone #4.

    1. BrunoF | | #3

      Thanks. So I guess priming and painting would technically count as a class iii VR?

      1. Expert Member
        MALCOLM TAYLOR | | #4

        BrunoF,

        Yes. Two coats of latex paint on drywall is around 5 perms.

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