Ran into a weird issue with my basement vapor barrier last week in Edmonton

I was finishing up my basement reno and noticed the new 6 mil poly had a bunch of tiny holes near the floor joists after I sealed it. Has anyone else had trouble with vapor barrier getting punctured during a DIY basement job around here?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_eric12d ago

Oh come on, is a few pinholes really gonna ruin your whole basement?

adams8212d ago

Oh man, I actually read somewhere that Edmonton's freeze-thaw cycles can make the ground shift under houses and that can stress the poly. Maybe it's just me but I wonder if the holes are from where the poly was rubbing against something rough near the joists after you sealed it. Idk, I've heard using a layer of rigid foam insulation over the vapor barrier can help protect it from that kind of damage.