Question for the builders

[John Pratt]

Let me start by saying I live in Oklahoma (don't know if it makes a difference). I was knocking out some of the "honey-do-list" this weekend and tore down an old closet in the house to expand a hallway/laundry area. Wife wants a counter and laundry folding area where the closet was. After taking down the walls (not load bearing) and the drywall I noticed there is no vapor barrier on the inside of the exterior wall. Is this right? The outside of the house is brick and has rigid foam board between the brick and framing.

Second question:

I have some small cracks forming in the chimney cap for the fireplace. Can I just use Quickcrete concrete repair (in the tube) to fill these cracks?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Originally Posted by John Pratt

no vapor barrier on the inside of the exterior wall. Is this right?

Unless it was built recently there would have been no vapor barrier. In fact of your house is on a Radon side you might be better off without any.

I have some small cracks forming in the chimney cap for the fireplace. Can I just use Quickcrete concrete repair (in the tube) to fill these cracks?

Probably. The cracks will remain unless you route the old mortar out with a tool and re pack it with fresh. Lots of older chimneys end up being slather coated with mortar as their mortar starts to blow away. It's ugly but effective.

[John Pratt]

Thanks Cliff. The house was built in '96 apparently after the original house burned to the ground which was built in '82. I hadn't thought about radon. it is sitting on a slab so I don't think I have the same issuses as radon from crawl spaces like some, however I could get some detectors.

Hoping to just fill the cracks for now in the chimney cap and rebuild it in the spring.