Falling insulation in walls

[Bill]

I recently put up some walls using steel studs. I bought full width batts to cover the entire 16" gap between studs. The batts have no paper vapor barrier. When I put the insulation in the wall, it basically collapsed since there was nothing to secure the insulation in an upright position. How should I secure the batts so they don't just fall down? Is there some special tape I can use or some other technique? I searched, but couldn't find anything for this specific problem.

[Clark Griswold]

They sell specific lengths of steel wire to hold the batts up. Or you could make your own with coat hangers, etc. How about tape?

[David Martel]

Bill,

The batts should have a vapor barrier. This paper side should face inward. On wooden studs string running zig zag and a staplegun keep the batts in place. Don't know about steel studs but anything cheap to hold the batts in place until you put on the wallboard is ok.

Dave M.

[Bill]

I saw those steel wires, but how would they be used to hold a batt in the vertical position? Is it just a matter of getting support on each side of the insulation and it will stay up on its own? If that's the case, could I just put some kind of support on the backside (zigzag some twine or horizontal ferring strips), throw up the insulation, duct tape the front for support, add my plastic vapor barrier and then put up the drywall? Would that be all I needed? Would the insulation stand up because it's got no place to go, or would it eventually collapse and sit in the bottom of the cavity? Thanks for all the help.

-Bill

[Joseph Meehan]

Actually that should be "should face towards the warm side." In the south where cooling is the primary issue and heating is an after though, the vapor barrier goes towards the outside.

This would normally place the vapor barrier towards the inside and you could tape them together and to the steel.

You can add a plastic vapor barrier, but having one on the batts would make it easier, I would think.

[stretch]

David If you are in a cooling dominated climate, the vapor barrier goes toward the outside, in a heating dominated climate, the vapor barrier goes toward the inside. In a mixed climate there should be NO vapor barrier. Check the new International Building code for details, Here in Myrtle Beach, SC the code says NO vapor barrier. The code says which counties in which states should not have a vapor barrier, This helps protect yoy from mold.

Stretch

[Colbyt]

This is just an opinion, no basis in fact.

Once the walls are up on both sides I doubt that the insulation could sag more than 6".

Use a strip taller than what you thing it may sag and you are good to go with any temp support you like.

What is the back side? Is this a basement?

Duck tape sounds like a winner for the room side.

Colbyt

[JimL]

I don't read it that way.

It talks about the vapor barrier being next to the warm side when freezing is mentioned. This is pretty standard and exceptions are extremely rare.

Besides, I would always go with the manufacturers recommendations and if some archaic code disagrees with manufacturer, you have a duty to ask for a variance from the archaic code. Otherwise, you make yourself personally liable.