Bathroom insulation?

[Pollyanna]

Is it okay to put batt insulation in the walls of a bathroom? I've heard this is a no-no 'cos the batts absorb moisture.

Thanks

[echnidna]

fibreglass batts don't absorb moisture

[Pollyanna]

Excellent. Thanks very much for your reply.

[GraemeCook]

Check with the Building Branch of your local council, Pollyanna. Some have different rules for different types of wall construction.

Cheers

Graeme

[Barry_White]

If your concerned about the insulation absorbing moisture put a vapour barrier between the insulation and the wall cladding such as building foil or even plastic film.

In fact this is how all insulation should be installed, with a vapour barrier. In fact they even used to make a plaster board lining with an aluminium foil fixed to the back for this purpose. You were then supposed to put a perforated foil on the outside of the insulation.

Probably considered as overkill in our climate.

Half of the forum members would have been in nappies when that was the case.

[Bloss]

The simple answer is 'yes'. I have been using fibreglass batts in bathroom walls for more than 30 years with no problems.

If you ever have moisture getting through the wall surfaces of your bathroom you will be having bigger problems than the batts.

The insulation properties of the batts comes from the still air trapped between the fibres so installation without compressing is important.

I have been insulating all internal and external walls for many years and aside form the obvious thermal advantages they also have some (albeit small) sound deadening effect that is noticeable in lower noise levels in adjacent rooms. So for example toilet flush or other water running noises are reduced.