Insulation pole barn type garage..

[KongZ TT GT28RS MD]

I made this post back in 09'

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33028

I went with the cellotex 3/4" aluminum backed styrofoam board..

but I am having an issue with Moisture.. big time..

I have just dealt with it but I wanted to post on a possible fix.

Basically.. it is a pole barn type building with horizontal 2x4 as the wall bracing and 6x4 as its posts. There is a 2x10 that goes around the perimeter of the garage eve areas.

I placed the cellotex styrofoam board directly over each of the walls, secured to the 2x4's.

I also placed it across the ceiling. butted up against the 2x10 that goes around the perimeter. There is approx 6" space from where the 2x10 is on the wall. This spacing goes directly into the "attic" area. So when heating.. the heat will escape from inside garage space into attic. There is a soffit along the outside of the garage that I assume would help the attic breathe.

To actually heat the living space of the garage. I had to stuff regular paper backed batting into those spaces to keep the heat in. But this will cause terrible moisture issues when the temperature raises outside. The internal space of the garage looks almost as if I just washed a car in there.

I would love to hear some suggestions on what I did wrong. I was possibly thinking of maybe blocking off all the soffit/2x10 are


as and installing vents that I can open/close to help alleviate the moisture issue.. but I'd love to hear of a fix where I can just leave it be.

Here are some pics to give you an idea..

<a href="http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Shawn300z/media/312958_IMG954403.jpg-1_zpsstrylpvx.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/Shawn300z/312958_IMG954403.jpg-1_zpsstrylpvx.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 312958_IMG954403.jpg-1_zpsstrylpvx.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Shawn300z/media/20150104_160056_zpssxxteq4e.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/Shawn300z/20150104_160056_zpssxxteq4e.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150104_160056_zpssxxteq4e.jpg"/></a>



<a href="http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Shawn300z/media/20150104_160036_zpspqon2mq0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/Shawn300z/20150104_160036_zpspqon2mq0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150104_160036_zpspqon2mq0.jpg"/></a>


<a href="http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Shawn300z/media/20150104_160151_zps2mqkveag.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/Shawn300z/20150104_160151_zps2mqkveag.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150104_160151_zps2mqkveag.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Shawn300z/media/20150104_160217_zpshrx9pbhy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/Shawn300z/20150104_160217_zpshrx9pbhy.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20150104_160217_zpshrx9pbhy.jpg"/></a>



<a href="http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Shawn300z/media/garageinsulation_zps14ba039d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f171/Shawn300z/garageinsulation_zps14ba039d.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo garageinsulation_zps14ba039d.jpg"/></a>

 

[DC73]

I can't answer your questions but can point you to a good resource. A good authority on insulation and building construction is Joe Lstiburek with Building Science Corporation. There is some great info on their website ( http://buildingscience.com/ ) and he has written several books including Builders Guides for every climate. It would be worth picking one up and reading. http://www.buildingsciencepress.com/...Guides-C1.aspx

You might also visit the forum at GreenBuildingAdvisors.com. Some (not all unfortunately) of those gurus can be helpful in situations like this.

DC

 

[MagKarl]

What does your attic area have for ventilation? Is the soffit vented? I don't see any roof venting in the pics.

You need some air circulation.

 

[scooz14]

i had the same probelm with my insulated, heated pole barn. ended up having to go to bigger gable vents to better vent the attic portion of my building. replace the 10x10 vents with 12x24 vents and the problem went away.

 

[KongZ TT GT28RS MD]

Yes the soffit is vented, if you can see in the pics.. where I stuffed the batting type insulation. I had to do that or else the heat would just escape into attic.. and also out through the soffits.

Do you guys think that is what the issue is? that the soffits are just not enough for the attic to breath?

This aluminum backed 3/4" foam board is also a moisture barrier.

Methods to help with air circulation?

Thanks!

 

[Yeager]

I am looking to build a pole barn in SC and I'm worried about the same issue. What is the best way to vent a shop that you will cool (and ocasionally heat) with out letting all that AC and heat out?

 

[pmilin]

Do you have roof vents or a ridge vent? You need to have ventilation from the sofit through the peak of the roof. Sofit vents by themselves are not enough. Also what is the R-value of that insulation?

Check out these links for an explanation about attic ventilation. Google is your friend here as well.

http://www.airvent.com/pdf/literature/WhatHomeownersShouldKnow.pdf

http://www.airvent.com/pdf/literature/PAVbooklet.pdf

 

[MagKarl]

I would unplug the soffit vents and add a continuous ridge vent.

 

[rburke65]

How are you heating the space?

 

[KongZ TT GT28RS MD]

The soffit vents are not pluged.

I am only blocking it off so the inside "living space" is more "sealed".. because if I dont.. no heat will even stay in there.. it goes directly up where I have it plugged and right out of the soffit vents/attic.

I haven't really heated it yet besides a torpedo heater or similar.. but I also purchased a wall mount vent free propane that I haven't installed yet.

I have this sweating issue even in the summer.. For example if it gets really warm outsdie.. the interior looks wet everywhere.. on my tools and car etc.

 

[KongZ TT GT28RS MD]

IIRC the R value is about 9 or so? I gave a 3/4" air space behind the insulation like it suggested to gain extra R value

Do you have roof vents or a ridge vent? You need to have ventilation from the sofit through the peak of the roof. Sofit vents by themselves are not enough. Also what is the R-value of that insulation?

Check out these links for an explanation about attic ventilation. Google is your friend here as well.

http://www.airvent.com/pdf/literature/WhatHomeownersShouldKnow.pdf

http://www.airvent.com/pdf/literature/PAVbooklet.pdf

 

[Kaizen]

kongzz as others have said you have a vent problem. you said we can see the soffit vent in the pic but what we are asking is there a soffit vent under the eaves outside? I cant see that unless you are referring to the arrow in the stick diagrahm. The air should enter there and go to a roof vent or a ridge vent. so cold air enters and exits and its a cold zone so no water collecting. You can also cut a vent on each end of the garage and put in 2x2 foot vents but the other ones work better imo. They make plastic vent material that you can make the whole eave a vent which is what I would suggest.

That could be contributing to your moisture inside but unsure if that would cause levels high enough so your tools are wet. Do you have a concrete floor in there? If not the heavy rain could be just the cause. I'd do the roof first and see from there. might just need a ceiling fan inside to keep the air moving. actually if you left an inch between the exterior wall and the insulation that could be creating two warm zones and causing condensation. is there visible water on the insulation?

 

[ebgb68]

Looks like your already having shingle issues in that picture ? Like the other have said you need a ridge vent so as the warmer air travels up and out it pulls from the soffit.
Are you heating with propane unvented ?