Insulation in interior wall around shower stall - why?

Feb 10, 2010 11 Replies

The continuing saga of me and my broken plastic pipe and shower valve lol...



So I am removing the sheetrock in pieces small enough that I can put them back with minimal patchwork when I'm done - hopefully. As I open up the wall behind the shower stall, I find that it is stuffed full of insulation. Is this normal, typical, or even expected? Is there any reason to put insulation in an interior wall simply because there is a shower stall on the other side?


Tony Hwang wrote in news:ijpcn.75560$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe09.iad:

Not sure - the other side of a wall is another bathroom, so sound proofing might not be that critical.

Maybe a question I should ask is: is there any reason to put the insulation back when I'm done?

Probably for sound proofing.

Nose reduction. Better contractors do it.

It also helps keep the shower wall from feeling ice-cold when you lean your bare butt against it. The first 30 seconds of hot shower water warms up the surface pretty well, and having insulation behind it keeps that heat from dissipating as fast. It makes a real big difference when you insulate around soaking tubs, as well.

-- aem sends...

aemeijers wrote in news:rcadnSV-g6nwoe_WnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I can *totally* relate to that :-0. That alone is a good reason to put it back when I'm done :)

I'd be concerned if the insulation gets wet, in the future.

I replaced my bath tub, took out a plastic one with a huge crack, and put in a metal one. On the exterior wall, of course. I wish I'd put some fiberglass behind it. You can learn from my mistake.

When we remodeled my downstairs bath, we stuffed the interior walls, mainly because we could. I can't say it has made any noticeable difference though, the tiles are still very cold to the touch in the winter months. Still it was worth a try. It probably does make it easier for the ceiling mounted electric heater to warm it up for a shower, but it is hard to say.

Depends on the voice of the showering singer next door.

See answer #1

If it gets wet, you have more problems that just insulation.

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