Steel Building Insulation

parksplace5454 · 08-24-2009, 09:16 PM

I live in the White Mountains of Arizona and am constructing a 36' X 40' steel building. The building "kit" came with R-19 insulation with a moisture barrier. The exterior steel wall panels are installed with the insulation sandwiched between the panels and the building frame with the moisture barrier towards the interior of the building. I will be installing interior paneling which will cover the insulation. My question is this: can I add more insulation (without moisture barrier) between the wall panels and the existing moisture barrier on the original insulation?
Appreciate any advice... thanks

parksplace5454 · 09-28-2009, 08:34 PM

Well..... don't know what was so hard about this request... but with 101 views and no responses, had to use my gut intuition so I installed unbacked figerglass insulation on top of the current backed insulation in the steel building walls. Hope this all works out OK.

homebild · 09-28-2009, 08:48 PM

No one answered because you did not provide enough information to offer any intelligent answer.

First, what type structure is this? Is it a residential detached accessory structure? Or a commercial building?

Second, in what part of Arizona do you reside? (County) Arizona has 4 separate energy zones each having different requirements for insulation thicknesses. Provide more info and perhaps we can help.

Third, what type of insulation are you using? Rigid foam? Fiberglass? Cellulose? Other?

RTF · 11-02-2009, 03:28 AM

The additional insulation is fine, you won't have any problems.

homebild · 11-04-2009, 09:56 PM

Again.

The original poster did not provide enough information for anyone to adequately answer the question.

When the original poster offers enough information to assess the problem, someone may offer a sensible response to help solve it.

Until then, no response anyone reads here is helpful or sensible and should be ignored completely...

gkdesigntech · 11-10-2009, 06:31 PM

I think I can intelligently say that there is at least a potential for problems with that installation. He has now created a thermal barrier without a vapor retarder that could create a dew point within the unfaced insulation. This will cause water vapor to condense and collect within the fiberglass insulation and could cause mold and would definitely inhibit the ability for the insulattion to insulate.