Yurt Dome Insulation Install and Condensation

[Jafo]

What are you

heating

your yurt with?

[lizsteve]

Interesting. we are getting ready to insulate our ceiling next weekend with rigid foam.
How long did it take you? Cutting the foam to fit the triangles seems like a big hassle but hopefully worth it.

Did you find it to much warmer? Given the walls and

dome

aren't well insulated, I'm worried it won't make a difference since heat manages to find the weakest point.

When you say your walls are insulated with drywall covering, what's that?

When we have condensation issues, we just crack the

dome

some. But dripping down in between the side wall

insulation

and cover would be a problem. I wonder if something like Tyvec should be put on when we insulate the roof...

We are

heating

with wood.

[Pacific Yurts]

If the issue is condensation ventilation is key, but what you describe could be leakage. If your top cover has a valance (part of the top cover that overlaps the wall) that is sewn on you may have water infiltrating through the stitching. If this is the case you can apply seam sealer to stop the water from wicking through. You should also do a visual inspection of the top cover on that side of the yurt to be sure there is no puncture or tear.

[Corinarose]

These are good questions as I am getting ready to do the same
~insulate walls and roof
I notice condensation on the dome when there is air coming in meeting the cold. so I put extra rubber gaskets in and the condensation stopped.
I do know of someone who actually replaced their cloth fabric with wood siding and same for roof after deciding that a well insulated place was a priority.
If there are any builders who are in cold climates I would love to hear the answers to these questions.
A fan at or near the dome also helps to deflect heat and keep air moving.

Moisture

builds up between the insulated walls and the exterior walls (same for ceiling)
but if the bottom of the wall where it is screwed in allows for some air it seem to help with reducing mold. Of course the interior insulated waal should be on the outside of the lip of the bender board~ learned that one the hard way, with mold growing along the interior of the bender board.
Not sure if that was clear, but the more we can share what works and what doesnt work the better all our lives are.
Happy living in the round
Corina

[Jafo]

I know some people who heat with gas and it contains a LOT of

moisture

. A wood stove provides a nice dry heat. I agree, ventilation sounds like the issue if it is not leakage.

[homesweetyurt]

We are heating with wood, but have a propane water heater and fridge.

It is definitely a condensation, not leakage, problem. I think we need to seal it up better so the inside air is not reaching the yurt cover above the

insulation

. It is much worse when the temps are extreme from inside to outside. We have a lot of cracks between the insulation and the rafters where air is reaching the roof cover, I am planning on gap sealing those over the next week or so and hope that fixes the problem.

The rigid foam was a big improvement! It was 20 outside this morning and 51 inside without a fire (we had let the fire go out earlier in the day). The only mistake we made cutting and installing the rigid foam was that we attached the snow kit first, so the rafters where stuck in place. We had to measure each section and cut to fit, rather than cutting a bunch from a template and wiggling the rafters to make it work.

And our walls are denim insulation, so they absorb water like crazy. Then are covered with drywall. So we want to keep them very dry!

[Jafo]

I think you need to vent out the condensation somehow, I would imagine with the dome.

[Corinarose]

So if ventilation is a problem with the architectural fabrics most if not all of us are using,
Then how does one ventilate the roof and walls while insulating (cellulose, denim, Roxul)
To gain a better R factor
Most I know who are currently living in yurts heat with wood stove with some having backup heat of some sort.
The biggest complaint of those of us in cold climates is the lack of insulation

[Corinarose]

Homesweetyurt
What type of rigid foam did you use and how is it staying in place?
Yes sealing all gaps makes sense.
Somehow a fan seems like it might help
I am getting ready to take this on and all the issues you are confronting are exactly what I have wondered about
Corina

[Jafo]

The only thing I can think of is to have another layer of plexiglass covering the ring, UNDER the dome, but on top of the rafters, if that makes sense. Then you could open the dome to vent out what made it past the insulation. I think the plexiglass would have to have a thick foam rubber gasket around the perimeter to keep air loss from happening inside the yurt.

The one downside I see is that you would not be able to open/close the dome while the glass was installed. You would have to open it before you installed (for the winter).

Most homes have a vent in the attic and/or eves to vent out moisture. This isn't an issue solely for yurts.