Jeffrey writes from Belmont, Massachusetts: "I am finishing a room in my basement. I have painted 2 coats of drylock on the externior wall, and have purchased PINK R-13 Kraft faced batts to put in between the studs, with the facing side on the inside of the room. I was concerned about moisture in the basement rotting the Kraft facing, and so was advised at the building store to put up a polyethylene vapor barrier on the exterior concrete wall. My question is, if I then have 2 vapor barrier, the poly on the exterior wall, and the Kraft facing on the other side of the insulation, will this trap any moisture that does get by in the insulation? Should I go with Kraft-facing and no poly barrier, or poly barrier and unfaced batts?"

Answer: If you have Kraft-faced insulation you do not want a second vapor retarder installed. Even if there was not a Kraft facing we would still not recommend a plastic vapor retarder in a basement application. The moisture content is generally high in basements and a plastic vapor retarder is too strong for those conditions.