The use of under slab vapor retarders\/barriers has long been regarded as an
\neffective, economical way to control moisture migration through concrete. The
\nproper installation of an effective vapor retarder\/barrier beneath the concrete has
\nbeen proven to reduce or eliminate issues that arise when moisture migrates into
\ninterior spaces, including the adverse effects such moisture has on floor covering
\nand coating systems, as well as compromised indoor air quality due to the
\ndevelopment of fungus, mildew and mold. <\/p>\n
W. R. MEADOWS was the innovator that identified the problem early on relating to
\nvapor permeance and membranes getting punctured during installation. In the
\n1950s, we pioneered the exclusive PREMOULDED\u00ae MEMBRANE WITH PLASMATIC\u00ae
\nCORE that is still in use today when your retarder\/barrier absolutely has to be
\ntough enough. While low permeability, high strength and durability are all
\nimportant selection and specification criteria for under slab vapor
\nretarders\/barriers, there is some speculation about which of these performance
\ncharacteristics is most important when choosing the right vapor retarder\/barrier for
\na project. This paper explores the industry standards governing under slab vapor
\nretarder\/barrier performance and identifies critical product characteristics that
\nshould be considered when determining what level of under slab vapor protection to
\nspecify for a particular application. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"