I read that fiberglass insulation that has a backing sheet should have the backing sheet toward the heated space. The insulation in the basement ceiling has the backing sheet toward the inside of the basement not the bottom of the floor above. Does this trap moisture and cause a lot of harm or does it just make the insulation less effective? Do I need to take it all down and start with new insulation? Should I just add a new layer over the top what is there?
If you are worrried about trapping moisture. Just cut a bunch slits in the paper with a razor blade, or poke a bunch holes to open it up. I assume you will be coveringing it anyway.
The insulation is hung properly...the paper side goes to the outside of the joists it was hung from..It is stapled in and needs the paper for something to staple too..it will not hurt the efectiveness or insulation properties at all hung that way...You cannot staple the pink part of the insulation itself..it will fall off in a matter of a few eeks..per say...when you have a wall you have to have one side on one sde of the wall to staple to..but it also insulates both sides of the walls..if this wasnt the case..they would have to put 2 bats of insulaton on every insde wall instead of just one..it will insulate bothsides
you have the insulation installed correctly, the paper should be inside your room as you have described, they are referring to outside walls, it can now be sheet rocked or covered with some suitable covering. I have seen insulation without a paper barrier installed and there is no difference in the R- factor. Blown in insulation has no barrier, the paper is only on it for ease of handling and the company logo. don't worry at all and carry on.
This is not a big deal inside the house. Your basement should have some air flow from the furnace though. If you have a register or return air in the basement just make sure they are open a little. This is more of a concern for an outside wall of your home. Pull a section of it down to see if the joist cavity feels damp. I would guess it won't. Don't worry about it, it will not ever be a problem. If you want you can make slits in the vapor barrier with a utility knife. I would leave it as it is.
Insulation in a finished basement ceiling is for noise, rather than thermal. Ideally, it will not have a vapor barrier, which is what the paper is. You should use unfaced batts, and use retainers to keep it in place. You can leave it how you have it, however, as long as there isn't a huge difference between the temps of the basement and the upstairs. If the area is not finished or heated, such as a crawlspace, there is a very real possibility that moisture could collect in the insulation, leading to mold issues. The insulation in that scenario MUST be installed with the vapor barrier up. That is NOT just for walls. Hope this helps.
