Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 06:07pm | #1

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   Hi Kevin,

   I wish there was always a simple answer to give people who find themselves in a bind, but such is not always the case.

   I don't think that sealing the walls with paints would have that much effect but may be your only cheap alternative. Open all the outlets and any casings or base and seal in behind and around any gaps. You have to contain whatever moisture is seeping into your walls.

   If you are within your warrantee period, call your contractor back and demand he do the repairs at his own expense. He was irresponsible to have not installed a vapour barrier as per your request. He took it upon himself to do a half job with an alternative.

   Sorry,

   Gabe

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 08:35pm | #2

   *I'm sorry, Gabe, but I don't understand how a vapor barrier behind the car siding is going to have any effect on the moisture absorbed by the siding from the home's interior. I suppose we could ask the gentleman where he lives, if there's air conditioning, and whether this is above or below grade, as these are factors in home moisture problems.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 08:42pm | #3

   *Hi Steve,You can be sorry all you want, the concern seems to have been the moisture BEHIND the siding that was causing the damage.Don't forget to go post a congratulations to your buddy FreddyL on spreading the manure about Cel walls not needing VB.Gabe

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 08:45pm | #4

   *How does one install wainscoting directly over blown-in cellulose? Wouldn't this be kind of like assembling a barrel's staves after you've filled it with water?Gabe, How did you know the problem was moisture behind the wall? Where'd it come from?

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 08:50pm | #5

   *Sorry Steve,Too harsh of a comment to make without thinking.Gabe

2. 
   Guest_ | Jul 27, 1999 08:58pm | #6

   *Hi Barry,Just playing the odds.Odds are the wainscotting would have a sealer and or varnish on the surface and nothing in behind.Odds are moisture is trapped inside new walls during construction.Odds are that lifestyle allows for all kinds of moisture to seep into the walls that have no positive seal such as a good vb.Moisture can also be absorbed from the exterior by various sidings ie wood siding. But it normally also dries the same way if allowed to.Like I said, just playing the odds.Gabe

2. 
   davo304_ | Jul 31, 1999 02:15am | #7

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   Gabe,

   Barry asked a good question. How does one install blown-in insulation in a stud cavity if there is no wall to keep the insulation in place?

   Sounds like this insulation was blown in "wet" so as to compact in the cavity and not fall out. If so, then that would account for the moisture problem; as the insulation is drying out, the moisture cannot easily escape to the outside (especially if exterior was wrapped with some sort of v.b. like tyvek or building paper) and so is escaping into the wood wainscoting, which as you said, and I agree, was probably not back primed.

   I don't think back priming a few boards now will do much good. I also don't really know how to solve this problem; short of tearing out the work and starting over. Do you think punching a few well placed holes ( 12 inch squares) in the drywall would do any good in providing the moisture an escape route? Since the drywall is already tearing you're gonna have to do some replacement work anyway.

   The only problem I see with this is, even if you can get the moisture to dissipate now, when wintertime comes, you're gonna have moisture build up behind that wall again into the cellulose because of no vapor barrier.

   I agree with you...Call back the contractor!

   Davo

3. 
   Guest_ | Jul 31, 1999 03:56am | #8

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   Hi Davo,

   Yes, Barry did ask a good question, but he didn't ask it of me. I would never install cels in a wall, much less applied wet.

   If they were applied wet and the contractor told the client, "not to worry about vb" then I would tell the client to not only call the contractor back but to kick his ass for good measure and if it were a friend of FreddyL, kick it twice.

   Gabe

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 31, 1999 04:15am | #9

   * Gabe,

   You just kill me. . . ;-}

   Joseph Fusco View Image

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 31, 1999 04:26am | #11

   *If the T&G was run verticaly was there no substrate? If it was run just on sheetrock was some sort of adhesive used? 3/8" gap is a lot for any trim expansion. Something is wrong here....Ed. Williams

4. 
   kevin_p._doyle | Jul 31, 1999 04:26am | #10

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   i ve got an interesting problem occuring in a roo where i've installed poplar car siding about 6 foot tall with drywall on the remaining 3 feet of wall. whats happening is the drywall corners are all blowing out and actually tearing the drywall as a result of the expansion of the siding. this is obviously interiior work but there seems to be an extreme amount of humidity. it was installed directly over a blown-in cellulose insulation that according to the sub-contractor " did not need a vapor barrier". against better judgement i installed the siding directly over this material and have been dealing with a great deal of movement in the wall. so much so that it opened up the outside mitres on the base board and chair rail about 1/4" to 3/8" in some places.
   any suggestions on how to remedy this problem.